The Whorehouse
by Jay05
Summary: Every weekend Hermione ends up lounging around at a whorehouse. Those days are spent keeping a watchful eye over Harry as his life spins out of control. However, one night proves to change her life forever when she bumps into Severus Snape in the corridor. It turns out they're both there for the same reason. To watch over a friend. RATED 'M' FOR SEXUAL SCENES.
1. Chapter 1

_AN/: Hello to you if you're reading this! Please let me know what you think and if you want to see more! A heads up if I do continue with it there will be scenes of a sexual nature - of course, and possibly BOYxBOY scenes if I feel up to writing it. The story will mainly focus on Severus and Hermione, but the Harry and Draco storyline plays a big part in it as well!_

 _Enjoy! :)_

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Chapter One: Love Chamber.

Madam Annette waved her hand, and a tray of tea appeared next to the sofa. Hermione nodded in thanks, then watched her leave with tired eyes. A cup of tea sounded just as good as sleep did right now, but sleep wasn't a luxury nowadays. She made it to her liking and sighed when the warm liquid moved down her throat.

She was sat in the foyer of Madam Annette's famous whorehouse, relaxing after a long day at work. With a heavy heart, she could say that she regretted taking up a job within the Ministry of Magic; especially because she was an Unspeakable. _I was offered a job in the Department of Mysteries to lead research into love within the Love Chamber_.

 _You'd think I would have an amazing love life since I study its effects so much. However, that would be an incorrect assumption_. At first, her job was the only thing keeping her going, the four other women she worked with kept her on her toes; spouting their love of the world, and the amazing things that can come from it - _nothing good can come of it._

The proof was all around her as she sat in the whorehouse at ten o'clock in the evening. Hermione kicked off her heels and sunk back into the sofa. Madam Annette's foyer was always empty by the time she got here; _I bet it's busy in the day time._

Three sofas were facing a coffee table - she was sitting on the far left one - and if she turned her head to the left, she could see the small balcony that looked over the dingy alleyway. Annette well kept the foyer; she even had a piano on the right side of the room playing a soft melody.

 _Madam Annette mothers me too much sometimes, but it's better than having no mum at all._ Hermione's parents never forgave her when she restored their memories, and she'd fought back the urge to take the memories back from them. _I'm as good as dead to them now._ She sipped mindlessly at her tea.

The foyer was Hermione's haven whenever she visited on the weekends. Men did stumble across her occasionally, then attempt to treat her like one of the working ladies that occupied the rooms, but they always received a polite apology; one had been dealt a swift kick to the crotch when he tried to force himself on her. _Other than that, I don't come into any trouble - going downstairs is another story._

 _If I want to stay clean, it's better to stay well away from the drunken abode beneath me._

Hermione cast a wandless spell to bring her hair off her shoulders and on top of her head. The frizz hadn't eased since her four years away from Hogwarts. She didn't think she'd changed much; her face showed signs of exhaustion, but other than that, she still felt pathetic like usual.

However, Harry was a different story. She glanced down the corridor to her right. A woman was sucking the face off a very drunk man and managed to push him into one of the rooms. Hermione had respect for some of the women here as they were nice to her whenever they crossed paths - _Jenny's my favourite_ \- but some of the women were bitches with a capital 'B'.

Jenny frequently helped her lug Harry out of the whorehouse to the apparition point, but she would be left to drag him back inside Grimmauld Place, where she would leave him on the sofa to sleep off his hangover, so he can wake up and do it all over again.

Four and a half years have passed since the war ended. Hermione returned to Hogwarts for a term to complete her exams and leave with the qualifications she deserved; then she quickly accepted the job offer from the Ministry of Magic.

Ron had stuck around for a year and the first month of their relationship had been perfect, but it soon fizzled out into nothingness. _I gave him my virginity, then the day after, I walked in on him shagging a female trainee Auror._ Ron sulked around her for the remaining eleven months begging for forgiveness; he soon gave up after she punched him square on the jaw leaving him on the floor of the Burrow.

The first year after the war was full of happiness for Harry - _or so I'd thought._ He dated Ginny and treated her with more respect than her brother could ever muster up for Hermione. But, she had soon watched her best friend fall apart. To begin with, she assumed that he had post-traumatic stress disorder; _I was way off the mark._

 _Harry told me that he was gay the day before he ended things with Ginny, then we both moved into Grimmauld Place together, and we've been there for the past three years._ After a year of living together with her helping Harry, he admitted to being in love with Draco Malfoy. It had all started with vivid dreams of them together; until one day, Draco came racing into the Auror department screaming at Harry to stop messing with his dreams.

 _Somehow the pair have become connected through their dreams, meaning whatever Harry dreams, Draco experiences the same thing when he sleeps._

Hermione managed to convince Harry to sit down and talk with Draco about his feelings. _It wasn't a pleasant thing to witness_. She had been watching from the bar as Harry poured his heart out to the Slytherin, only to have him call him a 'faggot' and laugh in his face.

Draco left with a black eye and a throbbing cock - _not in a nice way_ \- after she kicked him twice in the crotch and punched him in the face. _I haven't seen him since that day._

That night changed everything; Harry sank into a wallowing pit of depression that Hermione couldn't save him from. Every weekend she spent her time in a whorehouse where Harry would get drunk, then shag one of the women; _he's trying to convince himself that he's not gay._

 _Also, he didn't dream much when he had consumed his body weight in liquor._

Madam Annette's was the third whorehouse in two years. Harry had managed to piss off the Madam of the first whorehouse; the second one, he had gotten bored of the women there, so now they were here with Madam Annette. _We've only been visiting for two months; I give it another three until Harry does something wrong._

Hermione didn't have much of a life anymore; she didn't have one to begin with, but now she couldn't do things like go out drinking with her work colleagues on the weekend because she was too busy cleaning up Harry's mess.

Speaking of Harry, she turned to watch him stumble into one of the rooms where a woman would be waiting for him. She chewed down on her bottom lip, pushing down the urge to go and fight with him. That's all they ever do recently; they were always at each other's throats, yet at the end of the day, she was the one holding him while he cried himself to sleep.

There was a yelp from one of the rooms - _not your usual cry of ecstasy_ \- and she realised it was coming from Harry's room. _What did he do now?_ Hermione placed her tea back on the tray, then padded barefoot down the corridor. The door flew open, and the woman screwed up her face at the sight of Hermione.

"He threw up on me!" She screeched, and the stench of vomit filled her sinuses. "Move!" She pushed into Hermione in her rage, leaving her to stare at Harry as he vomited again on the floor of the once clean room.

"Are you finished?" She crossed her arms over her chest, and he turned to glare at her.

"Bugger off…'Mione…" He slurred, then collapsed onto the double bed.

"You said you wouldn't drink much tonight," Her shoulder came to rest on the doorway. "You promised!"

"Fuck o-off," He buried his face into the white bedsheet. "I'm tired."

Her face flooded red in anger. "Don't talk to me like that! I'm tired as well, but I'm not allowed to sleep until I get you home!"

"Shut up!" He scrambled to sit up and pointed his slender finger at her. "You are a pain in the arse."

"Good!" She snapped, punctuating it with a stomp of her foot. "Madam Annette isn't going to be happy that you vomited on one of her girls!"

"Like I care!" He yelled back childishly. "We'll just find somewhere else to go."

"WE!?" She screeched. "That task will fall on my shoulders, not yours! You'll be too busy crying on the godforsaken floor!"

"Throw that in my face why don't you," He mumbled into the pillow. "It's not my fault."

"I'm not saying it's your fault," She massaged her temple, then sighed. "Do you even realise how exhausted I am with all of this? Do you even care?"

Suddenly, the air surrounding her felt hot; a blazing, intense heat rushed up her back and to her neck. She could feel somebody's eyes on the back of her head. Whoever it was set her body alight, her stomach did a nervous flip, and her mouth became dry.

She eyed Harry suspiciously, but he was too busy pushing his face further into the pillow to realise that somebody was standing right behind her.

Hermione inhaled sharply and slowly turned to look over her shoulder. Her lips parted slightly as her chest became tight from her held breath. She couldn't believe who she was looking at right now; a single blink didn't make him disappear.

 _Professor Snape._

Her eyes traced up his body. He wore his usual attire, and he looked a lot healthier than he had before the war. She moved her eyes to his face, and she etched a path over his handsome features until they stopped in their tracks at his smouldering gaze.

"Professor-" The door slammed into her back, pushing her towards Snape and she collided with his solid chest. He managed to catch her before she fell then shook her off as if she'd burnt him. Their new proximity meant she had to tilt her head up a little to look at him, keeping her entranced by his dark, intoxicating eyes.

"I told you that the women here would throw themselves at anything Severus," The smooth, uptight voice of Lucius Malfoy said from a nearby door.

Hermione came back to her senses and stood up straight, glaring over at Lucius Malfoy as he walked into one of the rooms with a woman.

"Hang on a second, you old git!" She moved to storm towards the door but remembered that Harry had just forced her out of his room. She whirled back around her body shaking in anger. "Open the door!" When Hermione's fist thumped against the wood, she received an electric shock that burnt her knuckles. "You idiot!" She yelled. "Open the door, NOW!"

Hermione felt like her mind was about to combust from the anger seething through her body. _He doesn't care that he's causing me pain!_

She gripped her sore hand and looked down at the small burn marks on her knuckles. "Buggering hell!"

"Hermione, dear, come and sit down," Madam Annette appeared by her side, gently cupping her injured hand and pulling her away from Harry's door.

Her body shuddered as she sat down and Annette healed her hand for her. "Drink your tea, love." With trembling hands, she picked back up her teacup.

"Evening, Severus," Annette rubbed soothing circles on her back, and Hermione looked over at Snape who was standing awkwardly in the foyer.

"Annette," He greeted her with a firm nod, and helped himself to some firewhisky that was resting on the coffee table, then sat down on the other side of Annette.

"I'm tired, so very tired," She muttered, then Annette kissed the side of her head. "He doesn't care that he's making me feel this way, and I don't know what to do because I can't just leave him. I could never do that."

"I know," Annette moved to kneel in front of her, she reached out comforting hands and stroked her rosy cheeks. "He'll get through this love, and then he'll be thanking you while begging you to forgive him for his actions."

"I suppose," Hermione bit her bottom lip, then chanced a look over at Snape; he was watching them closely and sipping on his firewhisky.

"Now, I've got some girls to attend to," Annette got to her old feet and brushed the front of her robes. "Your friend emptied his stomach onto one of my girls' brand new dress."

"I'll pay for it," She grumbled, wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

"Don't worry-"

"It's all right. I don't mind paying for it," Hermione grabbed her bag from the foot of the sofa and took out a small pouch of coins. "This should cover it."

"You're too kind, my dear," She leant over and kissed her forehead, then left the foyer.

Hermione took a tentative sip of her tea, feeling Snape's eyes all over her skin. _I had hoped that I would never see him again_. Only Harry knew of the crush she had on Professor Snape. She managed to convince herself that it was just a pathetic schoolgirl crush - it had developed during the time she returned to complete her seventh year - but the way he could make her feel with a single look consumed her dreams almost every night.

"Potter?" His silky drawl sent a shiver down her spine.

"Unfortunately," She replied, putting her tea down on the small table next to the sofa.

"He's as selfish as ever," Her narrowed eyes flew to him, and the smugness on his face made her angry again.

"Harry's in a lot of pain right now," She tried to match his intense stare, but it crippled under the pressure of his. "He isn't selfish."

"You've always blindly defended him," He hissed, and she clenched her jaw.

"That's not true!" She snapped, and a deep chuckle erupted from his chest. _He's mocking me!_

"You Gryffindors are fiercely stupid," He retorted, finishing off the rest of his firewhisky, then placing it down with a thud on the table.

"Because you Slytherins are perfect!" She spat back sarcastically.

"Have you always been this aggressive?" His quick wit made her fingers tighten into fists.

"I don't appreciate that you're mocking me," She forced out through her tight jaw, but his eyes continued to observe her harshly.

"Why would I waste my time mocking you?" He got to his feet effortlessly, and she followed suit; less elegantly.

"Leave then!" She snapped. "Go find a whore to shag, and stop wasting your precious time in my presence!"

A smirk appeared on his face. "You sound jealous, Miss Granger," He stepped closer to her like she was his prey. _I shouldn't have said that._

"Oh, please," She scoffed. "Why would I be jealous of those women?"

"You tell me," By some miracle, she was able to hold his menacing stare.

"I'm not jealous!" She returned to yelling at him. "Merlin! You're infuriating!"

"It's my pleasure," He bowed slightly, and she felt ready to hit him if he mocked her one more time.

"Stop!"

"Stop acting childish."

"You're the one being childish!"

"Stop shouting."

"You stop!"

"I'm not shouting."

"You're mocking me though!" She stepped into his personal space breathing heavily.

"Inside voice, Miss Granger," His dark eyes came alight with hunger, and she could feel his breath on her face.

"You annoying git!" She poked her finger into his solid chest, earning her another rumble from deep within.

"It's a pleasure to be of service to you," It wasn't said mockingly. Hermione's lips parted as she tried to take in more oxygen to ease her heaving chest.

"Stop…" She whispered, and his heated gaze landed firmly on her plump lips, then he looked back into her brown eyes. A slight incline forward of her head was all it took to bring his lips crashing against hers.

Hermione stumbled back a little from the force but immediately became enveloped in his arms, one went around her waist and the other cupped the side of her face. She'd never experienced such an intense kiss before. Their lips moved frantically; it was as if they stopped, death would soon follow.

She gripped on tight to the sleeves of his robes, grinding herself further into his body. Her stomach sparked up in an array of flips that soon nestled down to an intense heat deep within her core. She allowed him to slip his tongue into her mouth and the moment their tongues touched, the kiss went from frantic to animalistic carnage.

A groan rumbled in her throat as he stroked his thumb along her cheekbone. His lips were oddly soft against hers - not what she'd expected his to be like. He tasted of firewhisky which she decided that she didn't mind the taste of.

Her anger had fled her body the moment his lips had crashed against hers and for the first time in her life, she felt desire. She felt like he wanted her as much as she wanted him in this moment. Their small battle for dominance was clearly won by Snape, but she didn't care just as long as he didn't stop kissing her this way.

Hermione held onto him for dear life. His fingers dug into the flesh of her waist; no doubt bruises would be left in its wake, and pulled their bodies so close together that she could feel the hardness of his erection. She rubbed her core against his bulge in need of some form of friction to ease the burning ache he was causing her.

"Erm...Hermione?" The sound of Jenny's voice sucked all the heat from the room.

She reluctantly pulled her red lips away from her ex- professor's, leaving them both to stare wide-eyed at one another. She tried to swallow away the tightness at the back of her throat, but it wouldn't budge. His expression was unreadable, yet he didn't release her from his iron grip.

"He needs to leave now," Jenny spoke up again causing Hermione to take in a staggered breath, then step out of his hold. She suddenly felt cold; lost without his body around hers.

"O-OK," She stammered, bundling her bag against her chest, then running down the corridor and into Harry's room to return him home.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN/: Hello! Thank you so much for the response of the first chapter! I appreciate everyone who has favourited and followed, and thank you to **whiteroses1743, CrazySlytherin, purplehedgehog13, smithback, colao, TWILIGHTER110323, ScarlettRoze,**_ _ **eepemma** , and the **Guest** who reviewed! This chapter is dedicated to you guys! Enjoy!_

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 **Chapter 2: Love Potion.**

" _This is my classroom, Miss Granger. My rules…" His eyes roamed over her body as she stood in front of his desk. "Remove the robe," His husky voice made her core throb with need._

 _She reached up to the knot that held her robe tightly around her body. With shaking fingers, she undid the tie and let the fabric flutter to the floor. The cool dungeon air hit her bare skin causing her nipples to harden painfully._

 _A feral smile grew on his face, and she could feel him taking in the sight of her. His eyes darkened with need. "And your hair," She freed her hair from the top of her head and let it fall past her shoulders._

 _He pushed out his chair an inch gesturing for her to come closer. Hermione walked around the desk and sat down on the edge before him. His hands didn't make a move to touch her even though she could see the large bulge pressing against his trousers._

" _Spread your legs, Miss Granger," Her body flushed under his burning gaze, and she did as he said. Here she was with her legs open wide before her professor, while he eyed her exposed sex._

 _That sexy rumble came from his chest as he lowered himself down onto his knees. He brushed the inside of her thighs with his rough hands, leaving goosebumps behind. She quivered with need under his branding touch and whimpered when he lowered his mouth to her._

 _She felt his breath fan across her aching bud-_

"Hermione!" She shot up in bed, her head colliding with Harry's. "Ow, 'Mione!"

Hermione clutched her forehead and narrowed her eyes at where Harry squirmed on her bed. "What are you doing in my room?" She asked, trying to collect herself.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and a familiar ache consumed her core. _Not again!_ It had been like this since last Friday, every time she managed to get some sleep she dreamt about Professor Snape. _It's messed up._

He hadn't shown up on Saturday nor the Sunday. _Good, I wouldn't know how to react if we were ever in the same room together_. Hermione was confused, _I've never acted like that before, never._ But, she'd never wanted anyone as bad as she'd wanted Snape at that moment.

 _Maybe he'll show up tonight_ , her inner voice taunted. _Doubt it!_

It was Friday again, and she had a long day ahead of her at work. Harry would spend the day pre-drinking as he liked to refer to it as, and wait for her to return in the evening so she could feed him then take him to the whorehouse. _A typical start to the weekend._

Hermione clenched her legs together trying to ease the ache her dream had left. _Merlin, this is embarrassing. He'd laugh if he ever found out the dreams I've had about him. I bet he's forgotten about it already._

"You seemed to be enjoying your dream," Harry said smugly, and she hit him with her pillow.

"What do you want?" She bundled the pillow against her chest and pushed some hair away from her face.

"You're going to be late for work."

Hermione's eyes flew to the clock on the wall. "Buggering hell!"

Hours later, Hermione stared at the fountain in the Love Chamber; it sat upon a floral hill in the centre of the room surrounded by stone benches. One of her colleagues called Paula was scribbling down observations as she did a scan of the Amortentia spurting from the fountain - the most powerful love potion in existence.

 _Maybe I've somehow inhaled the Amortentia; it would explain my infatuation with Professor Snape last Friday._ She shook her head. _Of course, that's not what it is_. Hermione hated that she was surrounded by happiness and love when she came to work, only to go home to nothing.

She sighed.

"Something wrong?" Paula asked continuing to write things down on the clipboard she was holding.

"It has been a very long week," She said. "I cannot wait for it to be over."

"Will you join us for drinks after our shift?" She asked already knowing what her answer would be.

"I can't...sorry," She gnawed on her bottom lip.

"I'll keep asking every week until you say yes eventually," Hermione thought Paula was sweet, but years of her asking was grating on her nerves. _Maybe I'm just jealous because I can't go out and drink with them._

 _Yes, it must be that._

The evening soon came around, and Hermione found herself standing in the bustling bar of Madam Annette's whorehouse. She scanned the crowd of people, hoping not to catch sight of a familiar dark professor. _Good, I don't see him._

"Evening, love," Madam Annette walked over and patted Harry's shoulder as he made his way to get a drink. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," A yawn broke from her lips, and she smiled apologetically at Annette.

"There's tea waiting upstairs for you," She gave her an eager push towards the stairs. _Odd?_ "You don't want it to get cold."

She wanted to reply ' _that's why we have magic for'_ , but chose not to because of the look on her face. _She's up to something_. With heavy feet, she walked up the wooden stairs and down the corridor.

" _Oh yes! Right there! Faster! Merlin, you're incredible!"_ Hermione's lips fell into a thin line, and she stared at the rattling door. _Somebody is getting shagged up against that;_ she shivered, walking a bit faster towards the foyer.

"Hello, Princess," Felix somewhat glided in front of her. _Am I not allowed peace?_

Felix happened to be the wizard that tried to force himself on her and received a kick to the crotch. _They call him Felix the Fondler;_ the women flip a coin to see who has to deal with him whenever he turns up.

"I haven't seen you around lately," He leant forward, reaching out for a fallen curl, but she stepped backwards.

"I've been avoiding you," She said. "After your little performance a couple of weeks ago I thought it would be best for us not to cross paths again."

"You're sexy when you talk," She briskly stepped around him narrowing her brown eyes.

"That's enough, Felix. Go downstairs," She could see the foyer at the end of the corridor, and her cup of tea freshly brewed waiting for her to drink. _I'm so close to it._

"How can I go down there when your perky arse is up here," He staggered towards her, and she marched straight into the foyer.

"Leave me alone," She waved her hand at him, grabbed her cup of tea and took a sip.

"I'll leave if you touch my-"

"I believe the lady told you to leave," Hermione choked on the liquid in her mouth. She finally registered that someone else was in the room with them. _Snape._

He was standing near one of the bookshelves by the piano. A book rested in his large hand while his other supported a glass of firewhisky. Images of those hands all over her body flashed before Hermione's mind, causing her mouth to become dry. _There is no way I'm getting turned on by his hands right now!?_

She stared at her cup of tea with disgust.

"It's f-fine," Felix slurred. "I paid for her already."

"You certainly did not Felix! Now go downstairs before Madam Annette kicks your saggy arse," Hermione smirked at her wit, and his face fell.

"You're no fun," He groaned, stumbling back down the corridor.

"Idiot…" She grumbled into her cup, taking another sip.

Her hands were shaking. _I best put the tea down._ She did, slowly; keeping her eyes on anything but Snape.

She felt awkward, yet the atmosphere wasn't. Hermione was beginning to feel like she had the last time he was here. The heat started to ravage her body. Pure desire raced through her veins. _I can't look at him without thinking about my dreams; us shagging in his classroom. Merlin, this is bad._

The sofa shifted under his weight as he sat down next to her. He sat so far away that it was painful. She wanted him closer. _The way I'm feeling is wrong._

She cleared her throat and grabbed her bag to retrieve a book, ' _The Truth About Love.' Oh, how convenient._ She discreetly tried to slip it back into her bag without him seeing the title.

"The Truth About Love? Seriously, Miss Granger. I thought you were into more intellectual reading," His velvety drawl made her stomach flip, and her grip tightened on the book.

She laughed nervously. "I like to keep up-to-date with the topic, as you know it's the most powerful force in the world."

"So they say," He took a sip of his firewhisky.

Hermione couldn't tell him that it was because of her work. The whole point of being an Unspeakable was not to tell anyone what you do within the Department of Mysteries. She shoved the book into her bag and picked up her tea; thankfully her hands had stopped shaking.

"Is that how most of the men treat you around here?" He asked, but she could hear the strain in his voice. _I wonder if this is awkward for him too? He must be embarrassed about kissing me because I was his student._

"Some," She let the warm liquid invade her mouth. "That was Felix the Fondler...he's known for being handsy with women. However, that was only the second time I've run into him."

"What happened the first time?"

"He decided to not listen to me when I told him no," She explained, trying to avoid his dark eyes. _Why can I feel them all over me?_ "I kicked him in his man parts, and left him to cry on the floor."

The familiar rumble came from his chest causing her to squeeze her legs together. _This is ridiculous; he shouldn't be affecting me this much._ She finally looked at him. To no surprise, he was watching her closely. Their eyes held onto one another's for a few seconds before they both looked away. _Please tell me he's feeling like this too._

"Do you come here to watch over Mr Malfoy?" She asked, and her eyes scanned the corridor to see if she could spot him. _He hadn't been downstairs._

"I'm more of a chaperone," His dark hair fell over his burning eyes, and her hand twitched to move it. "He wouldn't make it home in one piece if he was on his own."

Hermione felt odd that she was easily having a conversation with him. _I like Professor Snape outside of Hogwarts; he's less ill-tempered. Or maybe he has drunk a lot of firewhisky. People talk more when they're under the influence of alcohol._

"How often do you come here? I'm surprised we haven't met sooner," She was proud that she was able to keep her voice steady, but her hands betrayed her as they started to shake again.

"We've been coming here for a month now. Lucius got into a fight with the Madam at the old brothel," He explained, and his eyes shifted down her body making her shiver.

She didn't look appealing right now. She wore black trousers that stopped mid-calf, with a white blouse tucked into the high waist, and a blazer with the sleeves rolled up to her elbow. She wanted to take off her heels but didn't deem it appropriate.

"This is the third whorehouse in two years," She admitted and decided to let her own eyes run over his body to see how he liked it.

He wore his teaching robes, which she'd never seen the appeal of until she returned to take her exams. However, now she could understand why she dreamt about him in his classroom. The idea of roleplay never intrigued her, yet she could think of nothing else but him shagging her on one of the worktops while dressed in her uniform.

She looked away from him. _There is unquestionably something wrong with me._

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes?" She replied breathlessly and placed her cup down on the table.

"What did you dream about last night?" Hermione watched him put his glass down, then shift his body, so he was facing her.

"W-Why does that matter?" _He couldn't possibly know about my dreams_. The first thing she learnt when she joined the Department of Mysteries was Occlumency - Snape didn't stand a chance of getting inside her head.

"It's a simple question, Granger. Answer it," His voice made her heart rate speed up, and she nervously looked around the room.

"I dreamt about a meadow...flowers...Harry. The usual kind of things," She restlessly pulled on a loose thread of the sofa. "I don't see how it should concern you-"

"Spread your legs, Miss Granger."

"Oh, Merlin!" Hermione shot to her feet and stared down at him in horror. "H-How did you-I mean how could you possibly…" He slowly rose to his feet, and the feeling of desire fled her body. His eyes were lethal, pinning her to the spot.

"I want you to undo the spell you've cast upon me!" He snapped, and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't care why you did it, but I want you to undo it!" He advanced on her causing her to stumble back a few steps.

"Are you seriously insinuating that I used a love potion on you?" Hermione felt offended. _How dare he think that!_

"Why else would I have kissed you?!" Of all the ways she thought that their second meeting could go, this was not one of them.

"I don't know, sir. Maybe because you wanted to!" She tilted her head back to look up at him, matching his deadly stare.

"Since that night you've been in my dreams," His voice was husky. "Tempting me...Undo it."

"I. Didn't. Do. Anything." She seethed through gritted teeth. "Why would I waste my time to slip my old professor a love potion so that he'd snog me? Do you think I'm that desperate?" She hadn't meant for it to sound so insulting, and his set face showed that he'd taken it the wrong way.

"Desperate? Old?" He stepped closer, bringing them toe-to-toe. Hermione had always felt intimidated whenever he towered over her in class, but now, it left her breathless, wanting him to inch down a little and press his lips against hers.

"I-I didn't mean it like that," She ran her tongue along her bottom lip, and his eyes narrowed at the sight. "Sir-"

Snape lowered his mouth to hers and pressed a cautious kiss to her soft lips, then pulled away to look into her eyes. She swallowed hard. All rational thoughts fled her mind when he crashed his lips back down to hers. The back of her legs came in contact with the sofa, and she was lowered down onto it.

Their mouths didn't part while he ferociously devoured her lips, and she groaned into him. She moulded her body against his craving the feel of his body on hers; it was so much better than in her dreams. He gripped hard onto her waist kneading the flesh of her hip.

Hermione wanted some form of release; being deprived every morning when she awoke from her erotic fantasies, wasn't pleasurable. He moved his hand down her leg, cupping her at the knee to bring her leg around his back slightly; it allowed them to become closer. She groaned when his lips left hers, but he made up for it when he started to kiss her neck with the same ferocity.

Ron had never kissed her like this. _Merlin, Ron could never compete with Snape_. He sucked the tight skin of her neck into his mouth, gently nibbling at her tender flesh. She hated that she was fully clothed. Hermione wanted to feel his bare skin against hers; she wanted every single part of him.

He moved his lips away from her neck and kissed her hard again. The need coursing through her veins heightened when she buried her hands into his silky hair. A stomach flipping rumble came from his chest, so she continued to caress his scalp.

Hermione wasn't sure how long they lay on the sofa grinding their bodies against each other, but the moment he pulled his lips away and rested his forehead against hers was too soon. She still wanted more.

She looked at him with dazed eyes, and she noticed his pupils had dilated. Her fingertips continued to stroke his scalp, causing him to shut his eyes for a few seconds to embrace the feeling.

"This is wrong…" His deep voice vibrated her core, making her hum in response and bite her bottom lip. "It doesn't help when you do that," She couldn't fight the giggle that came from her mouth. "Or that."

"I'm sorry," She whispered.

There was a look of sincerity in his eyes just before he moved to press his lips against hers, but an eruption of shouts and crashes made him still. He growled, turning to look over his shoulder. _It's coming from downstairs._

"Harry!" She exclaimed and placed her hands on his chest to move him off her. "I swear I'm going to kill him if he caused any trouble," The shouts got louder, and people began to yell hexes at one another.

Hermione looked down at him with a sincere expression; she wished to kiss him again, just a quick, sweet kiss. Snape composed himself and came to stand next to her.

"Shall we?" He nodded down the corridor.

"Yes," She grabbed her bag and followed him down the hall.

The ruckus was as bad as it sounded. Hermione stepped out onto the small landing and glanced down at the mess below them. The tables lay in a splintered mess, chairs crumbled under thrown bodies, bottles crashed up the wall leaving residue behind. Bundles of men clambered together, most of them unsure as to why the fight had started in the first place.

She caught sight of Harry in the middle of the commotion.

"Harry Potter!" She scolded as a mother would to their child, then marched down the stairs. Her body moved on its own while her brain focused on the fact that Snape was watching her from above. A chill shot down her spine.

Harry was on the floor taking a hard kick to the stomach, no doubt forcing all the alcohol back up his throat. She lightly tapped the aggressor on the shoulder, and he whirled around to face her.

"I'll pay you in a second, sugar," She crinkled up her nose in disgust.

"Back off my friend, please," Hermione always used the sweetest tone she could muster up when interacting with the men here. Most of them guessed straight away that she was mocking them, but some didn't quite understand her sarcasm - _Felix for example._

"He started it!" His alcoholic breath filled her nostrils, and she resisted the urge to gag.

"That may be true, but he's drunk, and I need to take him home," She sauntered past him and crouched down next to Harry.

The noise died down when Madam Annette appeared shouting bloody murder at the top of her lungs. _She'll ban them all for a week._

"Harry," She touched his cheek. "You can't sleep on the floor."

"Hi-" He hiccuped. "'Mione, you're beautiful."

"Thank you," She laughed. "Get up; you've caused enough trouble tonight."

"We just got here," He poked his bottom lip out like a child and sat up to lean against her.

"I know that, but you've been drinking all day. I think you need to lay on the sofa and sleep off the alcohol," She placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled him from the sticky floor. Harry didn't ease his weight off her, and she stumbled to the side a little. "Harry don't fall asleep."

"I'm just closing my eyes for a couple of minutes," A burp followed. _Gross_.

Hermione turned her head slightly in search of Snape but saw that he was no longer standing on the landing. _Oh_. She shook her head and dragged Harry home.


	3. Chapter 3

_**AN/:** Hello readers! A big thank you to **smithback, Lunajen323, CrazySlytherin, and purplehedgehog13** for reviewing, this chapter is dedicated to you! Much love to those of you who favourited and followed! Enjoy :)_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 3: Toxic Fumes._**

Hermione took her seat opposite Harry. He hadn't touched a drop of alcohol since last night, and she saw it as a good sign. However, his eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was a ghostly white shade. She'd given him a hangover potion and filled him up with food every hour.

They were now tucking into their dinner before heading out for the night. _Maybe he'll cause another fight so we can leave early._ Hermione's stomach flipped when she recalled the dream she'd had last night. _It involved me being tied up to a certain professors bed,_ she shivered.

Also, while she had been busy nursing Harry's hangover, she read over some of her books to compare her symptoms with that of a love potion. _Snape might be right, but it certainly isn't me slipping us a potion_. She drew the conclusion that somebody must've done it at the whorehouse. She was taking phials with her so she could take a sample of her tea and the firewhisky he drinks.

However, Hermione couldn't figure out why they were both dreaming about the same things. _It's like Harry and Draco_. She glanced at him, watching him shovel food into his mouth.

"Yes, 'Mione?" He asked with his mouth open.

"Harry…" She needed to choose her words carefully. "Do you still dream about Draco?" He paused mid chew. His left eye twitched, and he swallowed hard.

He nodded. "Not as often as I used to though."

The amount he drinks every day affected whether he passed out into a dreamless sleep. He thinks that the more he consumes, the less he'll dream; that's correct, even if it's the unhealthy option. She took a sip of her water and offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Why do you ask?" Harry put his fork down and leant forward slightly.

"No reason other than wanting to check up on you," She cut up her bacon, and the topic was quickly forgotten.

She had to admit that her first and second meeting with Snape had been different. The first time they'd kissed it had happened abruptly; it was out of character for both of them, yet it triggered off the events of the second time they kissed. _What if we were slipped a love potion on the first night we met but not the second_. It would explain why it felt slightly different.

She hadn't desired him any less; it just wasn't as brutal and aggressive as the first time. _Could it be possible that somebody is playing matchmaker_? She shook her head. _I shouldn't throw thoughts around; I just need to take samples of our drinks_.

Two hours later, Hermione watched Harry race up the brothel stairs in search of a vacant room. _He's never normally this eager_. Madam Annette ran over with a warm smile.

"Evening, love. How is he?" She asked, walking over to the bar with her.

"He hasn't had a drink all day," She said. "I'll take that as progress. Thank you for not banning him after last night."

"Believe me I would've banned him if it wasn't for you," Annette placed a cup of tea in front of her. "I would miss you."

Hermione's cheeks flushed. "I'd miss you too."

"Evening Hermione," Jenny took the seat next to her and picked up the drink Annette offered. "How are you?" She raised her eyebrows knowingly with a smug smile on her face. _Oh, Merlin, I forgot she walked in on us kissing_.

"Fine," She muttered taking a sip of her tea.

"I bet you are," She chuckled. "Is your mystery man coming today?"

"What are you implying?" Hermione was trying to act serious, but her flustered face and eyes betrayed her.

"Nothing," Jenny shrugged. "What I walked in on was pretty intense...old lover?" The way she said it sounded like she already knew the answer.

"He's my old professor," She whispered.

"Wow," Annette took the rag from her waist and used it to rest her elbows on as she leant closer to Hermione. "Did you have a crush on him at school?"

"N-No!" She exclaimed looking back and forth between them. _Why do I feel like I'm being ganged up on?_

"You did!" Annette pinched her cheek, and she swatted her hand away. "You look good together."

"There is no together," She looked down at her tea. "It was just a kiss."

"That should be plural," Jenny snickered flicking some of her blonde hair behind her shoulder. "I saw you yesterday, sweetie."

Hermione bit her bottom lip. "OK, it was just two kisses."

"I'd bet Galleons on you kissing again tonight," She retorted, and Annette took some coins from her pocket, placing them on the wooden bar.

"How much do you want to bet?" She asked Jenny and Hermione widened her eyes.

"You can't be serious? Stop!" With a sweep of her arm, she brought the coins towards her. "You aren't betting on anything to do with Severus and me."

"Severus?" Annette smirked.

"I mean Snape!" She glared at them both. "Why're you so interested anyway?"

"Well, you both come to a whorehouse and make no use of my girls," Annette collected up her coins. "And you sit in the foyer all night drinking and reading. You're perfect for each other."

Hermione sighed. "He was my teacher."

"So?" Jenny finished off her drink. "He likes you, and you like him. What's the problem with that?"

"I...I don't know," She finished off her cup of tea, then got to her feet. "I'm going upstairs."

"Have fun reading!" Jenny called out when she got to the stairs.

Hermione clutched the strap of her bag and pulled out a muggle book. _There is nothing wrong with me liking to read, and just because Snape does as well doesn't mean we're compatible_.

 _You still want to snog his face off though_ ; her snarky inner voice was going to be the death of her. _Yes, I like kissing Snape...he's a good kisser, way better than Ron_.

She hated that she didn't miss Ron. She hated many things about him; her hate wasn't down to him cheating on her, it was because he'd abandoned Harry. You'd think it would be the male friend dragged to whorehouse's, not the female one. Ron cut Harry off the moment they moved in together.

She stepped into the foyer and looked around. _No Snape. Excellent_! She took the phials from her bag and grabbed the bottle of firewhisky from the table, pouring some of it into the glass container. _I'll test it in the lab at work_. Her tray of tea popped into existence, and she deposited some of the steaming brew into her second phial, then slipped them back into her bag.

Hermione sat on the comfy sofa, settling her book into her lap. _Time to relax-_

Smoke started to fill the corridor from underneath one of the doors. It wasn't thick smoke, more like a misty smog. _What the heck?_ She got to her feet and trod carefully down the hall.

"This is s-so...cool…" It was Harry, but his voice sounded miles away. _What's he doing now?_ She knocked on the door and tapped her foot while she waited for him to answer.

"Go away!" Another male voice thundered.

"Harry, open this door right now!" She snapped, ignoring the other man. The door then opened, and a hand pulled her into the foggy room. Her chest constricted for fresh air, but soon adjusted to her new environment. A tingling sensation filled her nostrils, and her eyes began to throb. The room smelled like herbs, and she soon spotted something that resembled an incense, burning on the table.

"Embrace it, Hermione," She stared into his bloodshot eyes. _He can hardly stand, but that didn't stop the huge grin on his face_. "Feel...the...pleasure…" He flopped onto the bed next to a woman who was equally disorientated.

"Let the smoke enter your lungs," The unknown man sat at the table with a smile on his face, and she could see that his body was completely relaxed; almost lifeless.

 _Oh, my Merlin! Are they all high!? Hermione, you're breathing it in!_ She moved towards the door, holding her hands over her nose and mouth, but her lungs suddenly felt airless - in a great way. _I feel good_. Her eyes slowly closed as she inhaled more of the smoke.

"Do you...feel...it?" Harry turned his head leisurely. "Go to your happy place...join me…" Hermione stumbled over to the bed; it felt like she was walking on air.

She landed next to Harry with a thud, and they both laughed at each other. He rested his forehead against hers, and she took hold of his arm.

"This is so much better than drinking," He whispered, and his eyes fluttered closed. "A dragon...I see a pink dragon…" He rolled onto his back and giggled.

"I see...a three-headed horse…" The woman mused from the other side of Harry. "It's pretty...I can almost touch it…"

Hermione closed her eyes welcoming the feeling of her heavy chest. She felt like she was resting on a bed of clouds. _The mattress is soft...my mind seems at ease...I can see a meadow...and a purple donkey_. She giggled childishly. _It looks funny...I want to touch it…_

"I've never felt this good..." The man said from his chair. "This is better than shagging."

"I wouldn't go that far," Harry sighed. "But, it's close."

"It's better than sex for me," Hermione mused, and Harry brushed his hand up her arm. "That tickles..."

"I'm glad you're here...'Mione..." His voice trailed off into a low grumble.

"I see grass...it's blue..." The woman whispered, nuzzling her face against Harry's shoulder.

She sighed blissfully, closing her eyes again to zone out the loud voices beyond the door. _I'm sleepy...so very sleepy_. Her body shook violently, she didn't open her eyes, but she could hear the angry voice that continued to shake her.

"Hermione!"

"Fuckin' hell! Open your eyes!"

"Open your eyes, Hermione!" Somebody shook her again, and she steadily opened her eyes.

 _Severus.._.He was kneeling next to her on the bed. _Where did the smoke go?_ She glanced around the clear room and caught sight of Harry violently throwing up on the floor. Instantly, her lungs flared up causing her eyes to sting painfully, and aggressive coughs to slice the back of her throat.

Snape moved her onto her side as coughs spasmed through her body. She couldn't see properly, yet she managed to spot the blood she had coughed out on the white bedsheet. Razor sharp coughs continued to throttle her lungs as strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her body off the bed.

She clamped her eyes shut hoping to ease the pain; she felt the moment they stepped out of the room. Fresh air filled her lungs making her moan in relief. Her back connected with the soft sofa in the foyer.

"Deep breath in…" Snape's voice sounded distant, but she did as he instructed. "And out…"

Hermione continued this process for a few minutes. The ringing in her ears and the severe coughs subsided as she gained control of her body again. Her eyes still throbbed. However, it was bearable to open her eyes.

She saw Snape looking down at her from where he sat on the edge of the sofa. His hand was on her wrist and the other pressed against her forehead. She regained her senses fast.

"W-What happened?" Her throat was tender from all the coughing making her voice raspy.

"You inhaled highly toxic fumes," Anger flashed in his eyes. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I-I...Harry pulled me into the room...it took effect before I could leave," She pieced everything together in her mind, and her eyes began to water. Snape visibly stiffened at the sight of her tears. "Is Harry OK?"

"Potter is getting what he deserves," He growled. She moved to sit up, but he placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her. "You need to lay down for awhile."

"I feel fine."

"You won't when you stand up, Hermione," She bit her bottom lip when he said her name. _I like the way he says my name_. His eyes travelled down to the plump lip trapped beneath her teeth, and she felt her core throb with need. _Now is not the time to be turned on!_

He reached out and tucked a fallen curl behind her ear. It was such a tender moment that she forgot to breathe for a few seconds. His eyes had darkened with need, and she wanted him to kiss her. _A love potion wouldn't make me feel this way_. Yes, her heart was thundering in her chest, but it wasn't in uncontrollable lust. If she were under the influence of a love potion, she would've jumped on him the moment she regained her senses.

"Stop thinking so hard," He whispered huskily.

"Sorry," She sniffled, glad that she didn't shed any of the tears that had built up in her eyes.

Slowly, his mouth moved down to hers, but he stopped a mere whisper away. If Hermione spoke, their lips would brush against each other, _oh how badly I want that_.

His hooked nose touched hers, and she revelled in the feel of him so close to her face. She could still sense his warm gaze on her, and it brought her comfort.

"Kiss me."

"You stupid man!" Hermione heard Annette's shrill voice which was followed by the sound of her hitting the man in question, hard. "I told you to stop buying from that dodgy tradesman! You could've killed everyone in that room!"

Snape pulled away from her quickly and straightened his back. She almost poked her bottom lip out due to the loss of his warmth.

"What was it?" She asked.

"I'm assuming he thought that the incense would create a high for anyone who inhaled it - Muggles frequently use drugs to conjure such a sensation. However, he bought it from an unreliable source who used the wrong proportion of ingredients; he probably added some that don't belong, and this resulted in a toxic high instead of a good one."

"Oh…" She breathed out. "I can't believe Harry pulled me into the room."

"As much as I despise Potter..." _Merlin, it sounded painful to hear I can't imagine how hard that was for him to say_. "He wouldn't have been aware of what he was doing."

She laughed. "I've never gotten drunk before, but somehow I managed to get high. That is the most outrageous thing I've done."

"I'm sure that's not true," His smooth voice made her body relax more into the sofa. _Merlin, I would pay him just to talk me to sleep_. "Didn't you set my robes on fire?"

Her eyes widened. "You know about that!"

"It was easy to figure out, Hermione," He conjured up a glass of water. "Drink this," He placed the glass on her lips, and she let the cold liquid flow down her sore throat. _He hasn't called me Miss Granger yet...should I call him Severus?_

"How are you feeling?" Annette walked into the foyer. "I'm sorry, love. You shouldn't have got caught up in that."

"It's all right," She flashed her a friendly smile. "I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I gave Marco a black eye and broken nose. Also, I've banned him from ever coming here again," Hermione guessed Marco was the strange man who'd been in the room with them. "I warned him not to bring stuff like that into my home."

Hermione tried to sit up, but Snape stopped her again, and she resisted the urge to growl at him. His hands lingered on her body; _I love the feel of his hands on me_...Last night's dream flashed in her mind, and an involuntary moan came from her lips.

"You OK, love?" She glanced into Annette's amused eyes, and she realised what she'd done. Snape's eyes burned into her face, begging her to look at him.

"Yes," Hermione whispered. "I'm just tired."

"Sure," She chuckled. "Thank you for your help Severus."

He shrugged her praise off; it had made him uncomfortable. _He looks cute when he's flustered...cute?_ She shuddered. _He'd kill me if he heard me call him cute_.

"You're welcome to sleep here tonight," Annette leant down and kissed her forehead. "Harry's already sleeping it off in one of the rooms."

"Thank you," She moved to sit up again, and this time he let her. She moved her legs around causing her head to spin.

"Maybe you should sleep on the sofa," Annette offered, and Hermione nodded her head.

"That sounds good," She lay back down then Snape draped a blanket over her, and she smiled. "Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Yes," He drawled just as Annette left the foyer. "Close your eyes."

"I thought you wanted me to keep my eyes open…"

"Don't act like a know-it-all, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Severus."


	4. Chapter 4

_AN/: Hi! I want to thank you all for your response of the last chapter. Shout-out to **Lazygurl, Professor Severus Tobias Snape, Nastytashy, riaroo400, TWILIGHTER110323, purplehedgehog13, CrazySlytherin,** and **leelahm**_ _for reviewing, this chapter is dedicated to you! Enjoy! :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Soulmates.**

There was nothing in her tea. Nothing located in his firewhisky. _I feel immoral for trying to figure out an explanation as to why I desire him...maybe I just want him. Need him._

Hermione rubbed the back of her neck and looked at her reflection in the mirror. After leaving the whorehouse on Sunday morning, they didn't return later on. Thankfully, Harry didn't touch any drink until Monday night; _I'm proud of him._ Snape wasn't there when she'd woken up, but she hadn't expected him to stay all night. _I guess I should tell him that we aren't under the influence of a love potion._

It was Friday once more. _Let's hope I don't get high again;_ she couldn't help the smirk that grew on her face. The result of her high was catastrophic, but she did see the humour of the situation. The after effects had been troubling her all week, she kept getting headaches and a mild throbbing behind her eyes. Harry had a bad cough, which she'd treated with a potion.

"I look fine," She grumbled, brushing her hands over the floral dress. "Severus wouldn't notice the difference if I turned up in a snowsuit…"

 _He might not show up tonight._

Harry hadn't mentioned whether he noticed Snape being there last Saturday. _He would've said something if he saw his Professor in the room with him. However, he was too busy throwing up his insides to pay attention to the person on the bed next to me._

 _Let's get this night over with._

Harry smiled at her when she walked down the stairs; the smile seemed genuine.

"You look beautiful," His voice was enthusiastic, and she sensed he was slightly tipsy. "Planning on meeting anyone tonight?"

"No," She leant against the bannister. "I felt like a change instead of wearing my work clothes."

"Are you sure?" He grinned, grabbing a small flask from his pocket and taking a sip of firewhisky. She watched his movements closely with a tinge of anger.

"I'm positive, Harry. There's no man there that catches my eye," She lied.

"Positive?" He retorted.

"What are you implying?" Hermione tucked a curl behind her ear, and he smiled some more.

"Nothing," He shrugged drinking more alcohol from the flask. "Want some?"

"You know I don't drink," _How could he forget?_

"Oh, right…" He looked at the front door. "Shall we go?"

He took her arm, and they made their way to Madam Annette's whorehouse. The building was bursting with life, and she felt uplifted at the sight of the many wizards and witches dancing around the tables.

 _I would never have guessed a place such as this could feel like home._ Harry wandered off up the stairs, and she dawdled behind him, observing his every move until he entered one of the rooms. With a defeated sigh, she strolled into the foyer _. He's not here…_

"How are you feeling, love?" Annette raced over from the bookshelf.

"I'm feeling much better," She replied honestly. "It seems there's never a dull evening here."

Annette laughed. "It appears so!" She regarded her with a curious glance. "Severus saved you; I wouldn't peg him as that kind of man."

"You do remember that he's a war hero, right?"

"Of course I do," She hit her arm gently. "But, Severus is still the brooding type. He did what he did during the war because he owed a debt to Harry's mother."

Hermione smiled. "He's a remarkable man. I look up to him in many ways."

"I bet you do," She snickered. _Erm...was that a sexual joke?_

"Do you know him well?" She asked nonchalantly taking a seat on the sofa.

"I wouldn't say well," Annette cast a look at the bookshelf. "He told me that he was only here to care for his friend Lucius; he's struggling a lot after his wife left him."

 _I didn't know that. It made sense that Mr Malfoy would hide it from the world._

"She took what was rightfully hers and has already moved on," She explained. "Their son spends most of his time running between their houses, but he prefers to stay with his mother."

 _Draco Malfoy. What a stupid git!_ Hermione had felt pity towards him after the war, but now she hated him because of the way he treated her best friend. _He made Harry this way; I'll never forgive him for that._

"Lucius may have made poor decisions in his life, but he cared deeply for his wife even if it was an arranged marriage."

"Arranged?"

"Yes," Annette wiped her hands on the rag attached to her belt. "I'm aware of his hatred towards muggle borns. I almost banned him from coming because I didn't want him anywhere near you dear."

Hermione smiled. "He has surrounded me for most of my adolescent life, but his son is more of an inconvenience to me."

"Ah yes, Draco Malfoy," Annette kept looking back at the bookshelf.

"Are you OK?"

"Yes, love," She pushed her greying hair away from her face. "You should relax and wait for Severus to join you."

"He's coming tonight?"

"I assume so," Annette left with a quick wave her way.

 _I should find something to read._ Hermione scanned the bookshelf for any new books; she'd already worshipped the pages of a few, but none of them had been insightful. That was until a dark black spine caught her eye. _A new book!_ She stretched up on the tips of her toes and swiped the book down.

' _ **Soulmates.'**_

"Oh please" She scoffed to herself. "Annette you live in your own little fantasy world…"

 _There's no such thing as soulmates_ ; it's more of a muggle concept than a wizard one, but the idea of soulmates existing spreads around the wizarding world by word of mouth. There's no evidence to support the theory. _However, this will be fun to read._

Hermione sat down in her usual spot and took the cup of tea that was waiting for her, then opened the first page.

' _ **If you can read this you're one of the few that our precious Merlin has given a soulmate.'**_

She choked on her tea. "Pfft, as if," A chuckle followed. "This is the type of stuff that sends teenage girls into turmoil about finding their dream man."

' _ **There was a time when soulmates were rare instead of non-existent. Nowadays, the idea is perceived to be a myth; just a tale told to bring comfort to those unlucky with love yet there is truth behind those lies.'**_

' _ **As you can read the text hidden on these pages it means you've come in contact with the person your heart and soul is supposed to bond with. You may not know who it is yet because the start of the bonding process is a complex equation; there are different ways to come to the solution of the mating procedure.'**_

' _ **Some soulmates know from the moment they are in the same room together; chemistry is consuming their bodies with a need for the other. Alternatively, you could be near your soulmate for most of your life and never know until intercourse has occurred. There have been cases when an emotional barrier seems to be separating the pair from igniting the bond.'**_

' _ **My studies have shown various outcomes, but the consistent summary is that somehow soulmates will always find their way back to one another if the bond is unknown. Unconsciously, your body and soul deviate in a direction so that you'll cross paths again.'**_

' _ **However, soulmates are a dying notion. While I'm writing this, I've only come across one pair of soulmates in the last four years. I said they were a rarity, but not that rare. It seems that love is no longer strong enough to fight away the evil.'**_

' _ **But, my reason for writing this book is due to a Seer visiting me. She confirmed my theory that soulmates would not exist soon; she had a vision showing her that over a hundred years would pass before a new wave of soulmates were to appear. This wave would be you, my dear reader.'**_

' _ **I'm here to inform you about everything to do with the topic. Signs to look out for. The feelings you will experience, and most importantly, I will teach you how wonderful it is to be loved unconditionally.'**_

Hermione's tea returned to the table, and she got to her feet to walk around the room while she continued to read.

' _ **OK, lesson number one: How To Know Your Soulmate is Yours. Many inclinations occur after you've encountered your soulmate; the most common is infectious dreams. The label may sound crude, but in the simplest terms, it means that you both share the same thoughts when you sleep. My research has concluded that these nighttime rendezvous are of an erotic nature-.'**_

Hermione slammed the book shut, held it against her chest, then sighed. "Nope...there is no way I'm even entertaining the idea that Snape and I are…" She shivered. "It's not possible."

 _This book is horrific!_ She threw it onto the sofa and crossed her arms in protest. "Who would waste their time writing this?"

"Relax my boy!" The mysterious voice of Lucius Malfoy filtered through the open doors which led to the balcony. She slowly walked over and poked her head outside to stare at the alleyway below.

 _Oh crap!_

Hermione inhaled sharply at the sight of Draco standing next to his father and Snape stalking behind them. _Buggering hell!_ She stepped back into the foyer to steady her breathing. _Think...Harry's in a room right now; I need to make sure he stays there. Or I can get Draco to leave. Yes, he needs to go!_

She heard them walk inside, so she quickly ran from the room and down the corridor. She narrowly missed knocking over a couple dry humping against the wall and continued her rampage out onto the landing. She scanned the crowd of people until a heated feeling flushed her skin. She locked eyes with Snape.

His eyes flooded with hunger as did hers. Hermione wanted to go down and touch him; a simple touch on his arm would suffice her need for him at the moment. She shook her head and thundered down the steps. The blond idiot turned around at the sound of her approaching, and his eyes widened immediately.

"Granger!" He exclaimed, taking a few steps backwards. "W-What are you doing here!?"

She looked him up and down with a disgusted look.

"Oh, it's the muggle," Lucius muttered. "I'm not surprised you work here."

"She doesn't work here," It was Snape. He stepped closer to her a couple of inches, and it pained her not to be closer. She cast him a quick, fiery look, then returned her focus on Draco.

"I need to have a word with you," She grabbed his arm. "Outside."

Hermione pulled him out of the door and into the dimly lit alleyway. He yanked his arm from her hold, narrowing his eyes at her.

"What do you want?" He snarled much like Snape.

"You need to leave!" She snapped back.

"My father wishes me to be here. Also, I don't take orders from muggles," Draco tilted his head to the side a little and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Harry's here," This faltered his tough persona. She watched him stiffen, and his left eye twitched like Harry's did when she asked him about Draco last Saturday.

"Why is he at a place like this!?" He hissed approaching her fast. "What did you do?"

"Me?" Her voice was shrill. "What did YOU do? He's here because of you!"

He ran a hand through his long hair. "I didn't do anything…"

"Oh, I do beg to differ Malfoy! You broke his heart! N-No, not even that, you flipping shattered it to a million pieces then humiliated him in front of fifty people calling him a faggot! Not only is that word highly offensive, but it's downright degrading! You laughed in his face because he likes you! You, a despicable excuse of a wizard! You who made our lives hell! You who was on the Dark Lord's side!"

Hermione was taken aback by her outburst. She knew she was angry at Malfoy, but not this angry. _It's his fault Harry's this way. My life wouldn't be so miserable if he hadn't broken his heart._ _Even if he doesn't feel the same way about Harry, he could've let him down easy._

A glass smashed from above them. They both glanced up at the balcony but didn't see anyone there.

"Draco, please will you leave. I'll get on my knees and beg if I have to," She observed his shuddering body. "I-I can't let him see you because you'll make things worse than they already are...I understand that you aren't gay, but you didn't have to be so cruel."

His eyes glazed over with a wet shimmer. _Merlin, is he going to cry?_ "Does he spend a lot of his time here?"

She nodded. "Harry's trying to convince himself that he's not gay...but all he does is drink, so he doesn't remember each day."

He grunted in response. Hermione felt the urge to comfort him but clenched her hands instead. _He's the one in the wrong here; he doesn't deserve any sympathy_. Hermione wanted to pound her fist against his chest and hex him into oblivion, but she'd never expected him to look at her the way he did. _Maybe there's more going on than what I thought._

"Draco…" She sighed. "Do you still dream about him?"

She heard his sharp intake of air giving her the answer to the question. His eyes settled on the ground, and he gripped the side of his head.

"Why does he have to be here?" He muttered. "I was perfectly fine up until now."

"Well I'm glad life has been going well for you," She remarked sarcastically. "But, some of us don't have that privilege!"

"Granger, you don't understand…"

"Then tell me!" She snapped.

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know…" He paused looking down the alley. "I don't know what I feel anymore; everything's numb…"

"Malfoy, I'm not sorry that you feel that way because I've seen what your actions have done to my best friend," She admitted. "I think it's best that you go home."

He nodded his head solemnly, then walked off down the alleyway. A sigh escaped her lips, and she returned inside. Snape was nowhere in sight, and Annette caught her eye, pointing up the stairs with a smirk. _I guess he's in the foyer._

 _...Oh, bugger! He must've heard us argue._ Again, she took off running up the stairs and down the corridor. However, the sight before her wasn't the bad one she expected to see. It was worse, far worse. He was standing by the sofa holding the book about soulmates. She observed his stricken expression, immediately recognising that he believed the words to be true.

 _If that's the case, then it must be true. Severus would have thrown the book in the bin if he thought it to be rubbish._ She swallowed the thick lump in the back of her throat and stepped into the room. His eyes continued to follow the words concealed on the page.

She noticed the whisky glass shattered by his feet. It was him who had made the noise she'd heard in the alleyway.

"S-Sir," Hermione stammered.

The sound of the book slamming shut shot through her chest. He turned his head ever so slowly to look at her through intense eyes. Any heated look that he'd given her previously could never compare to the way he looked at her now.

Suddenly, she could smell him. He wasn't close enough to feel, yet she could detect his herby musk; a tinge of the woods and spices too. It seemed to hit her heart with a mild stabbing pain that festered into warmth - a comforting warmth.

Hermione held his fierce stare and noticed gold flash around his iris' then fizzle out. Now she could feel him. Sense his presence. Wield his emotions. She could understand how much he wanted her right now.

With a wary step forwards from her, he finally moved. Snape was on her in a heartbeat, lips smashing against each other. The warmth of his body flooded her senses igniting every nerve ending. Their lips moved perfectly together; basking in the taste of one another. His tongue met hers in a battle for dominance which he soon won when her back collided with the wall. She curled her fingers around his covered chest pulling him closer just as he cupped her cheek.

He soon evoked a groan from deep within her that added more fuel to the flame burning deep within her core. Hermione sensed how in sync they were, she could feel everything he was experiencing. Their coupling was lust and desire in their truest forms.

His hands trailed down her body leaving her to shudder beneath his searing touch. He slipped his calloused hands around her waist and kneaded the flesh of her arse. She felt his hard erection nudge against her throbbing heat, and he tore his mouth away from hers to kiss a path along her jawline to the crook of her neck.

If the book was correct; if she were to believe that it could be true, she would die happy. The beautiful feeling of being desired was the most consuming thing she'd ever experienced. Severus' passionate kisses and yearning stares had haunted her dreams for two weeks now; it was alluring to feel that he wanted her as bad as he had every time she closed her eyes.

Their red lips met again with a tender kiss. It sucked the breath out of Hermione's lungs, leaving her to cling onto him for support. He pulled away slowly, allowing his breath to fan across her lips.

"It's not a love potion," His hoarse voice made her bud throb in apprehension.

"I know," She whispered. "I read the book too."

"Hm," He grunted, never taking his dark eyes off her brown ones.

"'Mione...fuck...H-Hermione…" A thud followed. "Ouch...hello?"

Hermione sighed pressing her forehead against his. _Of course, Harry kills the moment._ Snape didn't move to step away from her. Instead, he brought their bodies closer together. Another shock attacked her nerves, and she looked up at him with hungry eyes.

"Hermione…" Harry whimpered; it was like somebody had thrown cold water over her. She reluctantly separated herself from Snape feeling his eyes on her as she walked into the corridor to find Harry sitting on the floor crying. "H-Hey 'Mione…" His bottom lip began to shake, and she got to her knees in front of him.

"What's wrong?" She whispered brushing some of his hair away from his glasses.

"I'm a mess...look at me," He gestured down his body with his hands causing her heart to ache for him. She turned her head to see Snape was leaning against the wall observing the fragile scene. "I need help."

"Harry," She grabbed his chin forcing him to look at her. "You're going to get through this, and I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise."

"I love you," He threw himself into her waiting arms, and she tucked him beneath her chin, then stroked his hair.

"I love you too…" She pressed a firm kiss to his scalp; then Harry went lifeless in her arms. "I say I love you too and you fall asleep," She grumbled. "Great."

Hermione felt Snape's presence above her, and she cautiously looked up at him. He placed his hand on her shoulder; it flooded butterflies into her stomach, then he pulled Harry to his feet.

"Shall we go to the apparition point?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"He can sleep it off here," She knocked on one of the doors to see if anyone was inside when she received no reply she opened the door and held it for Snape to drag Harry in and deposit him on the bed.

Hermione tucked him under the covers removing his glasses and placed them on the bedside table. She sat down and stroked some of his hair from his face, then placed a kiss on his forehead.

She turned to look at Snape who was standing awkwardly nearby, so she got to her feet and left the room. He followed behind her until they stepped back into the foyer.

The book was on the floor next to the smashed whisky glass. Hermione scooped it up and waved her hand to clear up the shattered glass.

It seemed to burn in her hand as she stared down at the dark cover. _Who would've guessed that this book held some truths? Severus and I cannot be soulmates; it's an idiotic concept. We're opposites...I think?_

Snape stepped up behind her, and she felt his solid chest against her arm. He gazed down at the book in her hands and sighed.

"We should talk," His voice was rough.

"Yes, I do believe we have a lot to discuss."


	5. Chapter 5

_AN:/ Hello! Thank you to everyone who favourited and followed, I know this chapter is a tiny bit shorter, but lord the heat is killing me here in the UK at the moment! As usual thanks to **Nastytashy, riaroo400, TheLadyBookworm, purplehedgehog13, smithback, TWILIGHTER110323,** **CrazySlytherin** and the **Guest** for reviewing! This chapter is just focusing on Hermione and Severus' chat, but do not fear, we will move onto the very complicated issue of Harry in the next chapter!_

 _ENJOY! :)_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: Talk.**_

Hermione settled down on the sofa with her cup of tea. A nightly breeze swept into the room from the balcony sending a shiver down her spine, or it might have been Snape's curious eyes.

He was sat next to her, holding the book in his hands. It wasn't enough that he was sitting nearby, she wanted him pressed up against her, she wanted to wrap herself around him and never let go.

 _It's a complicated feeling._

It's bad enough that she could be emotionally connected to her Potions master; it was terribly wrong that she yearned after his very being. But, every part of her wanted him, and anyone else who may have an opinion on the matter didn't bother her. Who knew her simple schoolgirl crush would lead her here?

"Where do you want to start?" She asked, knowing this conversation was going to be harder for him than her. _He's always been somewhat awkward in personal situations. Hostile._

She remembered the time spent in the shack when he'd given Harry his memories, and they discovered the truth about his loyalties. They'd returned after Voldemort's demise to find Snape healed and glaring daggers at them all. Apparently, he'd anticipated such an attack, but at the time, he didn't have access to the treatment he needed. However, Madam Pomfrey came to the rescue at the last minute administering the correct potions and leaving him to recover in the shack while the war continued.

 _I'm glad he's alive..._

"I've never humoured the subject of soulmates. It was just a ridiculous concept designed to help those who get subjected to heartbreak. But, I've heard of this book. It was said to of been destroyed in a fire along with the writer Quinzel Harrington. She's a famous Herbologist, and she contributed a lot to the field."

 _I've never heard of her._ "So, she's a reliable source."

He nodded. "Very much so. A Herbologist has no reason to delve into spiritual aspects of life unless it's of importance. I guess she discovered the links between the pairs and performed the necessary testings. It's also why you find the elder wizards and witches believe in the idea and not the younger generation. An old wizard may have witnessed the ideology before it died out."

Hermione sipped her tea. "How much did you read?"

"The first few pages," He opened up the book and flipped through some of the paper. "How far did you read?"

"Up to when it mentioned about experiencing the same dreams. I freaked out, then heard Lucius outside," She explained shifting closer to him discreetly. _I only want to see the book..._

"What was that about?" He asked. "I'm aware that you and my Godson have never gotten along, but you looked ready to rip him a new one."

She laughed at his dry humour. "I take it you didn't hear us arguing in the alley?" He shook his head. "There was an unfortunate incident two years after the war, and it warranted my anger towards him."

"What incident?" He pushed, taken aback when her eyes widened, and she snatched the book from him, aggressively turning the pages.

"No...as if...I have to tell Harry...he's going to freak..."

"You're thinking out loud, Granger," She didn't feel offended that he hadn't used her real name, _the way he says Granger sounds like an endearment._

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "W-Well, I think Harry may have a soulmate."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Of course he does."

"I'll give you one guess," She wiggled her eyebrows at him, and he blinked in response. "You're smart, sir. Figure it out."

"I do believe I'm the teacher here, not you," His sarcastic retort made her smile some more. He seemed to think for a little while, then she watched his face stiffen, and he looked at her wildly. "Are you insinuating that my godson is Potter's soulmate?"

"Yes," She nodded frantically. "Their bond has progressed as far as sharing the same dreams. It started three years ago; they both shared rather...graphic thoughts with one another. Harry told me that he thought himself to be in love with Draco, and I persuaded him to go and tell the blond git. I partially blame myself for his heartache."

"In love?" He added, engrossed in the story. _I feel like I'm gossiping with Ginny back at school._

She smirked. "Back when Harry was training to be an Auror, Draco came storming into the department demanding Harry to stop messing with his dreams. After that, I convinced Harry to confess his feelings and to cut a long story short; Draco called him a faggot then laughed in his face."

"Oh," He flinched at the offensive language, _I don't think even Severus is capable of saying such a word to someone._ "That sounds like something my godson would do, unfortunately."

"I damaged his private parts, broke his nose and gave him a black eye," She admitted. "I should've done more than that, but Harry was a mess, so I had to get him home."

"Understandably," There was a sly smirk on his face. "Do you always kick men where they don't desire to be kicked? I've sensed that you have a habit of doing so, quite frequently."

Hermione blushed under his heated stare. "I have issues controlling my anger sometimes."

"I gathered...I've always known you to be ferocious; it comes with being a Gryffindor. The first night we met, you almost charged after Lucius to knock him down a few pegs, then you came close to splintering the door that had slammed into you," Her blush deepened at the thought of their first meeting. "Your anger towards Draco is justifiable."

She handed him back the book, and their fingers brushed briefly causing hunger to shoot through her veins. He flinched.

"Sorry..." She muttered looking away from him.

"It's not you, Hermione," He grunted. "Well, I mean it is to do with you, just not the way you're thinking."

"Oh," _He felt it as well._ "I've never experienced anything like this before."

He responded with a rumble of his chest; she clenched her legs together. _Merlin save me!_ She finished off her tea and placed it back on the tray.

"OK, I think we should talk this through honestly. Have you ever felt anything towards me before we met two weeks ago?" He stared at her intensely, apparently not expecting her to want that much honesty. "I had a crush on you when I returned to take my exams."

A slight spread of pink appeared on his pale face.

"It wasn't anything close to how I feel now, but I liked you a lot," She explained. "However, Ron and I had officially started dating just before I returned to Hogwarts. It took me by surprise because I was sure Ron was the only person I wanted. Obviously, I was wrong."

He cleared his throat, _I've made him uncomfortable_. "Where is Mr Weasley."

"We haven't spoken in three years," She said. "A month into the relationship I caught Ron...let's say, mid fornication, with a fellow Auror."

Snape's jaw tightened, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "He's always been a little weasel."

She laughed at his attempt of comfort. "He grovelled at my feet for the rest of the year, begging me to take him back. I still lived at the Burrow with him, but it didn't change the way I felt. He took it too far when Harry left Ginny and Ron accused him of cheating on his little sister, with me."

"Let me guess; you kicked him where he didn't wish to be kicked?" The obvious joke made a warm laugh tumble from her lips. "I knew it."

"He deserved it."

"Yes, he did."

Hermione's eyes landed on the book realising she went off track. "I'm not going to be offended if you didn't feel anything towards me until now."

"I did...desire you very much when you returned to Hogwarts," She could hear her heart beating in her ears, each thump echoing around her body _. I want to jump up and down in excitement and scream my joys from the creaky balcony._ "However, such desires were inappropriate. I'm much older than you-"

"Severus," Her tone was firm. "You're far from old."

"Yet, you're very young."

"I'm old enough to make my own decision, and if the book carries valid words, then there is nothing that can keep us apart."

"You say that as if it's inevitable. I don't believe you could ever desire me as much as I want you," _I should snatch the book back and hit him with it, hard._

"Oh, so you think that our dreams were only of your imagination?" Her raised eyebrow made him flustered. "Severus, I've only ever been with one person before, and he could never match up to the way I desire you. Albeit, this is a profoundly odd situation to find ourselves in, but there is no denying that we both want each other. There's nothing wrong with the way we feel."

"Others would beg to differ," He scoffed.

"And when have you ever cared what others think of you?" She retorted instantly, and he glared at her angrily.

"Do not assume you know me, Granger."

"I'm afraid, sir, that I happen to know you very well. It doesn't mean I know every little detail about your life, but I know the type of man that you are. A brave, admirable, miserable sod."

"I thought I was the one who gave backhanded compliments."

Hermione moved closer to him, placing herself near to his shoulder. He responded with a fiery gaze. "I know everything I need to know when you look at me like that."

"You talk with such certainty. If we're what this book implies, then I fear..." His voice trailed off, and she saw the distant look in his eyes.

"Severus," She whispered. "I know that this has happened suddenly, and I understand if you need time to think about what this means."

"Granger, I'm no fool. I know what the book explains, I'm just not sure I can allow it to continue any further than it already has."

"Oh," She breathed out a sigh, brushing a strand of hair away from her frowning face. "Why not?" She asked pathetically.

 _Is this because of Lily?...of course it is! He still loves Lily!_

Snape regarded her with dull eyes. "You're too good for me."

Hermione bit her bottom lip anxiously, then gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder. She felt him tense beneath her touch but knew it was because of the strong feeling it produced.

She already knew that he was a man deprived of love, care, and affection. There weren't many people he saw as friends, most of them despicable acquaintances that never left him alone. During her return to Hogwarts, she had witnessed how lonely he truly was. Madam Pomfrey mothered him; as did Mrs Weasley when the Order was in full form. _Other than that, nothing._

The teachers at Hogwarts were close in a sense, but even then, Severus was the outcast. Just like his childhood. Hermione knew that if Snape had been her age, he would've intrigued her. Yes, his standoffish attitude would've made it hard to get close to him, but she'd have given it her best shot.

 _Maybe I'm the one destined to be there for him? We're soulmates, after all;_ the thought made Hermione shiver.

"Severus, you're worthy of all my affections," She said, lightly tracing her finger along the top of his shoulder. "What if I said you're too good for me?" Her words got his attention.

"Don't be so insufferable, Granger. You know just as well as I that people love and appreciate who you are. However, I'm despised by many people, and they would see me as an old, greasy dungeon bat who has corrupted a young, innocent girl," She flinched at his use of 'insufferable'.

"So the fact that our souls are supposedly destined for one another can't be held accountable?" She responded eagerly. "Sir, you appear to care a lot more than I thought about what people think of you. The only thing that should matter is what you want! Severus do what you wish to do - who cares if you do it under the scrutiny of others, as long as it makes you happy."

He let out a held breath. "I cannot remember the last time I was truly happy."

"Allow me to remedy that," Hermione leant in closer. "I feel you Severus, and it's killing me to see you this way. If you only want a friend then so be it. I enjoy your company, and I can have an intelligent conversation with you."

"Hermione, I could never be just your friend, not when I feel this way..." He looked down at her hand on his shoulder, and reached up to clasp her wrist, then slowly moved it down to his chest.

The electric sensation of his thundering heart under her palm left her breathless. Their faces were close together as she turned to look level with his mysterious eyes. She wanted to grab his hand and let him touch her rapid heart. However, she wasn't sure she could bear the feeling of his hand on her breast without jumping on him.

"Can we not just do what feels right?" Hermione murmured, glancing down at his lips. "Because being this close to you right now feels a million times better than being with you in our dreams. Touching you brings me more comfort than anything I've ever known."

"How is it that you always know what to say?" He breathed out, both of them continuing to observe the other's lips.

"I'm a know-it-all remember?" Her witty response earned her a deep rumble from his chest.

"Yes, I believe you are..." They both moved closer together as their lips drifted towards each other.

"Oh! I'm sorry for interrupting!" Annette squealed.

They didn't jump apart, instead looked at one another agonisingly. Hermione glanced over at Annette who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Severus," She said. "Lucius got into a fight with another man. I think you should take him home."

Snape grumbled underneath her hand, then got to his feet. He glanced down at her apologetically, so she nodded her head at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked.

"I won't be back until next week," His face was void of emotion.

"OK, I'll see you then Severus."

Hermione watched his robes billowing behind him as he left the whorehouse.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN:/ Hello! Here is a new chapter for you. I know some of you mentioned that you wish for them to stop being interrupted, do not worry, it will stop soon - just not in this chapter :) However, there is a small segment of a juicy dream for you to enjoy!_

 _Many thanks to those who favourited and followed! A MASSIVE thank to **riaroo400, ScarlettRoze, whiteroses1743, Nastytashy, smithback, purplehedgehog13, Lazygurl, anne,** **Arendora,** **CrazySlytherin,** and a **Guest** for reviewing, all of your comments made my day. This chapter is for you :)_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 6: Deprived._**

 _Hermione nuzzled herself deep within the crevice under his desk. The room was full of bored sixth years attempting a very complicated potion. She listened carefully, stifling her laughter behind her hand when he scolded a male student. His deep voice sent ripples of arousal through her body._

 _She was hiding underneath his desk to surprise him in a very erotic way; it was also very risky. He began to move closer to his desk, annoyed with the useless students and sat down. His chair was too far away, so his body wasn't fully beneath the desk like it needed to be._

 _A few minutes had passed before he moved his chair under the wooden surface. There was a large enough gap between the desk and his desiring area; enough room for head movement, she grinned sheepishly, cautiously moving out from the corner._

 _With a shaking hand, she brushed her fingertips against his shin; stilling his movements. Hermione ran her hand along the inside of his thigh, feeling his muscles tighten under her delicate touch. Her bottom lip was trapped beneath her teeth as she leisurely ran her hand over his forming bulge._

 _She found the button for his trousers in between the mass of robes, and gingerly pulled down the zip. Hermione pushed some of her hair from her face, then reached inside his grey boxers to pull out his hard cock - a beautifully big cock._

 _Her breath fanned across his oozing tip, and with a tentative tongue, she moistened his head more. She heard him inhale sharply, but it wasn't a sound anyone would question. Hermione wet her lips, then lowered her mouth to his cock-_

Hermione shot up in bed with a start, then the thudding noise of Harry banging on her door made her growl.

"What!?" She yelled.

"You said we were going out for coffee...it's almost eleven," She heard him say sheepishly.

 _Bugger!_

"O-OK, I'll be down in a couple of minutes," Harry retreated down the corridor, then she fell backwards on her bed with a sigh. "Crap…"

She hated that she was always pulled out of the dreams before it got pleasing. One time it had got to the point where Snape thrust inside of her, then the euphoric feeling was torn away from her by Kreacher.

 _It's settled, something has to happen the next time I see him. Severus cannot be OK with it all...I've never been so sexually frustrated in my life - I've never been sexually frustrated before!_

She wandered into the bathroom, showered, brushed her hair and teeth, then got dressed. An hour later, she was sitting opposite Harry in a cafe.

Hermione stared mindlessly at her bag next to her foot. She had slipped the book about soulmates inside after Snape left on Friday - _it's now Sunday. I don't know if I can read any more...I already know that I want him, bad. What else could be left to say, we're soulmates._

After Hermione had got Harry home on Saturday morning, she had watered the hangover out of him, told him they would talk tomorrow, so here they were, not talking. He shifted uncomfortably in front of her, and she flashed him a weak smile.

"I didn't drink anything yesterday," He said.

"That's amazing," She stirred the spoon in her coffee mug. "Will you be drinking tonight?"

"Probably," He muttered behind his cup.

"Will you promise me that you'll only have...let's say...three?" She offered hopefully. Hermione knew she couldn't demand that he not touch a single drop of alcohol from this moment on because that's not how you get someone to stop drinking excessively, you need to ease them off it.

"I promise," He smiled then pushed his glasses up his nose. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Was Professor Snape at the whorehouse on Friday?" Her chest felt heavy as she regarded him with wary eyes. "I can't say I'm surprised; he's always seemed like the type to pay for sex-"

"I'm going to have to stop you right there, Harry," Her face tightened. "You won't be insulting Severus in my presence, ever."

"Severus?" He laughed. "Seriously, 'Mione he'd kill you if he heard you call him by his real name."

"I've been calling him that to his face for a while now," She explained, then narrowed her eyes at him. "He calls me Hermione."

Harry laughed again. "Careful, you sound like you like him."

"I do," She said seriously, resisting the urge to hit him. _If he isn't going to be able to handle the truth about Severus and me, then he's going to fizzle up when I tell him about Draco._

"Why? I appreciate everything he did for me, but he's still a greasy git," Harry took a sip of his coffee.

"That greasy git happens to be my soulmate," He spat the coffee back into his cup, coughing viciously.

"'Mione, that isn't funny!"

"Am I laughing?" She retorted, tapping her finger against the rim of her cup. "Harry there's something I need to talk to you about...it may seem very hard to believe. Nevertheless, I speak the truth."

"What's going on?" He asked, leaning closer to her.

"Severus is my soulmate," She stated. "We discovered the truth on Friday, but something had been going on before that."

"You and Snape have been hooking up?" He paled at the thought. "W-Why?"

"Because I like him very much, Harry. I'm sure he feels the same way - forget that, I know he does. Nothing serious has happened yet, but we've shared some heated moment in the foyer together. On Friday a book found its way into our hands and revealed the truth about our feelings, about who we are to each other. Soulmates have always been talked about, yet no evidence has been found, until now. It explains the signs that inform you that you have a soulmate, plus you can only read the contents if you have a soulmate yourself…"

Harry was gripping the side of his head; eyes widened as he stared at her frantically. "S-Seriously?"

"What reason do I have to lie?" Hermione's reply didn't ease his pale skin.

"A book told you this? Can I see it-Oh, I forgot you said only people with soulmates could read it!" He exclaimed, there were too many things rushing through his mind at the moment. "This is weird."

"Very," She whispered. "But, I love every second that I spend with him. You don't need to know every detail of our coupling. However, you may be interested to know that Severus and I first realised that there was something more going on when we both started having the same dreams...coming together in numerous situations...just like you and Draco."

 _There, I said it!_

Hermione observed him, but he didn't react. _Maybe he doesn't understand what I'm hinting at?_ "Harry?" She bit her bottom lip, then grabbed her bag and pulled out the book. She opened it and nudged it closer to him. "Can you see words on the page?"

Harry's eyes moved a fraction, but he still didn't react. _OK, I think he has gone into shock._ Hermione knew that she would've had a similar reaction if somebody told her that she and Snape were soulmates if they hadn't spoken since she left Hogwarts. _Merlin, I'm glad things had happened between us before we discovered the truth, it softened the blow in a way._

"Harry?"

"It's blank," He croaked, finally snapping back to attention.

"Blank?" She retorted, bringing the book back and turning the pages filled with words. "Are you being serious?"

He nodded. "I don't see anything."

"Are you positive?" Hermione massaged her forehead, then cleared her throat. "I assumed you would be able to read it."

"The dreams have stopped...they stopped after you asked me about them last week in the kitchen," He pushed his cup around on the table.

"Why didn't you say something?" She reached out to grab his moving hand, calming his movements.

"You seemed to be a lot happier recently - now I know why - so I didn't want to burden you with it."

"Harry, you can tell me anything. Do you think it's a good sign?"

He shook his head. "When I did have the dreams...I felt alive. It was the only time in my miserable life that I felt happy, and now those dreams are gone. Draco must've done something to make them stop. A dreamless sleep potion probably."

"Well, he can't use that for long because it stops working if taken too many times," She put the book back in her bag. "Maybe they'll return afterwards."

"Maybe," He sighed. "It might be a sign that I need to sort out my life. I don't have a job, a girlfriend, or other friends. My social life consists of visiting a brothel, even then, I don't remember most nights."

Hermione wasn't sure how to respond. His mention of a girlfriend made her bite her lip. _I guess he's still trying to convince himself that he's not attracted to men._ She wasn't stupid; she knew that sometimes a man can just be attracted to one man in their lifetime, and not feel the same way about other men. She was positive that he cared deeply for Ginny when they were dating. It didn't matter who he liked; she just hated that he was trying to make his feelings seem wrong towards Draco.

 _Love is love; you can't help who you fall in love with_.

"We should head home now," Harry said, getting to his feet.

"OK."

...

Hermione shivered, glancing around the packed bar. She knew she needed to be down here so she could make sure Harry didn't exceed his drink limit. She sat watching him from a nearby table, while he talked to one of the women at the bottom of the staircase.

A few of the wizards looked her way, their eyes lingering for too long. She made sure to cover up well, wearing a dark green jumper and jeans, and she was wearing her hair down for once in an attempt to cover her face.

However, it didn't take long until a wizard approached her. _Felix._

"Evening, Princess," He slammed his firewhisky down on the table, then dropped into the seat next to her. "Whatcha' doing down in the lair?"

"I'm busy," She muttered, sipping her water.

"You don't look busy to me," He moved to slip his arm around her, but she brushed him off.

"Felix stop," She muttered. "I've told you no countless times."

"I've been described as quite the looker. How about you and I come together and make beautiful children," She almost laughed at his comment. Felix wasn't ugly. However, she didn't find him attractive. His sandy blond hair didn't appeal to her, and his worn face wasn't enticing.

"No thank you, Felix," She watched Harry walk up the stairs, and she bit her lip anxiously. _Should I follow?_

"Are you frigid?" _Merlin, I hate that word._

"Why because I don't fall at the feet of every man I meet?" She snapped back menacingly. "Felix, you're not my type. I may be at a whorehouse, but unless I approach you asking for more; assume I'm not interested."

"Is this about that dark wizard who comes in?" He answered. "He keeps looking at you. I'll tell him to leave you be."

"You're referring to a wizard whom I highly respect, and he can look all he wants, for I do not care where his eyes may wander," Felix held up his hands in defence, smirking.

"You finally got yourself some action!" He boomed reaching out to wrap his arms around her shoulders, which she briskly avoided by getting to her feet.

"Goodnight, Felix," She abandoned her water on the wooden table, then headed up the stairs to the foyer.

Hermione found herself relaxing on the comfy sofa, her mind wandering back to Snape. _I miss him. I just want one dream to have a satisfying ending. I want him, now._

She sighed, then pulled the soulmates book from her bag. The dark cover didn't advertise its lighthearted contents; _looks can be deceiving. I wonder if Harry is lying to me...I believed he would be able to read the book._

 _I'm going to read some more._

' _ **OK, lesson number one: How To Know Your Soulmate is Yours. Many inclinations occur after you've encountered your soulmate; the most common is infectious dreams. The label may sound crude, but in the simplest terms, it means that you both share the same thoughts when you sleep. My research has concluded that these nighttime rendezvous are of an erotic nature; symbolising their deepest desires for one another. These dreams are triggers so each soul can recognise their mate. In a sense, it's a significant push towards the right path that will join the pair together.'**_

 _ **'Secondly, the next process to take place is when both souls understand that they're meant to be bound together. This trigger allows the person to smell their partner's unique scent. The essence will be overpowering, intoxicating, and there will be times when you can feel the other from across a room. Their fragrance will appeal to all your senses, creating more of a yearning need for the other.'**_

 _ **'The time difference between the two triggers do not have to happen immediately. I've researched some cases where the second trigger doesn't occur until months later. The lateness can be due to guarded walls around the soul, or down to distance between the pair. For example, one case I studied, the pair had met briefly in a cafe, and that night the dream sequence began, however, the woman went off travelling around the world for a whole year after that day. Their separation left them both to be stuck in erotic dreams for twelve months until she returned and they crossed each other's paths again at a mutual friend's party. Their bond had time through the dreams to recognise that the person they were dreaming about was the one they were meant to be with - again, there are many different cases.'**_

 _ **'The first trigger will be prominent up until the time of actual intercourse - when two become one. After, souls will accept that they're at peace with their intended mate and sexual desires are fulfilled naturally. Soulmates are known for having an extreme sexual need for one another; it is unlike natural mating between the average witch and wizard - those desires can go away over time.'**_

 _ **'However, if by some unfortunate event, you separate from your mate - I've never seen a case of this happening - the animalistic need will never go away for one another. Nonetheless, I had studied a couple who experienced a dilemma when another woman threw herself onto a female's mate, and kissed him. The man immediately pushed her away, running into a nearby bathroom to scrub his lips clean with water; unable to stand the feeling of another woman kissing him. After informing his mate of what had happened, she tracked down the offender and duelled her, severely injuring the woman. The couple were fully bonded; I'm yet to see if such outcomes happen before bonding has taken place. Despite that, I can only guess that the feeling will be similar.'**_

Hermione touched her slightly flushed cheeks, then closed the book. _I don't believe I've ever read something this eye-opening. I feel as if I have a new outlook on the world around me._ She wanted to use her line of work to help hunt down the new wave of soulmates. _I can imagine these intense feelings are causing problems for many people._

 _What if somebody's soulmate was a teacher and the other was still a student?_ Hermione could only assume that the first trigger will only take place when both souls are of age. _It might come up when I read some more._

 _I need to help find these people!_ The thought excited Hermione terribly. She grinned while resting her chin in her hand, leaning against the arm of the sofa. _There are many possibilities out there in the world! Maybe there is a soul out there who is experiencing horrific times; I can imagine their delight when they realise somebody is out in the world waiting to love them unconditionally. Merlin, I sound like a hopeless romantic. I love it!_

"You seem happy!" Jenny sashayed into the room in a colourful dress.

"I am," She discreetly put the book away, noticing Jenny was watching her movements closely with a smile.

"Does it have to do with a particular professor?" She sat down on the edge of the sofa.

"It might do..." Hermione grumbled, avoiding her eyes.

"I knew it!" Jenny exclaimed. "I'm so pleased for you sweetie. I couldn't stand you sulking around here all the time."

"What do you mean?" She retorted.

"Annette and I were worried about you because all you did was sit around in here reading, not talking to anyone. You seemed miserable, so I'm glad you've found someone to perk you up," She lightly patted her arm and grinned. "Some of the women are a bit jealous."

"What?" She cringed at the harshness of her voice. "I mean really?"

Jenny laughed. "A couple of them have had their eyes on him since he started visiting. Samantha tried to approach him but was immediately halted by a look. He's got those smouldering eyes that either make you quiver in a good way, or in a not so good way."

Hermione's stomach flipped. She knew the look Jenny was talking about, and it unquestionably made her quiver in a good way.

"However, I've had my eyes on Severus' friend," She said, a tinge of red to her cheeks. "I know he's a complicated man, so I've just let it be."

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Go ahead."

"How many men have you slept with?" She asked quickly.

"Hm..." She tapped her chin in thought. "Around four."

"Huh?" Hermione said dumbfounded. "I-I thought you worked here...you know, doing the dirty...don't tell me I've got it wrong this whole time? Oh, Merlin! I'm a terrible person!"

"Hermione, calm down," Jenny grabbed her wavering hands. "I'm only here for special cases."

"What do you mean?" She pushed.

"Say if a very famous wizard comes in and wants to spend the night with a woman, it would be me. Annette deemed me as proper and eligible to be presented to a man from a wealthy background," She explained. "They were all excellent lovers who visited for around a week then we parted ways."

"Oh," She whispered. "Did you have feelings for them?"

"No," Jenny smiled sadly. "I'm afraid a lot of people have sex without caring for the person."

"I don't think I could ever do that," Hermione said. "Ron's the only person I've been with...I loved him very much at the time; it had been very rubbish compared to the stories I've heard, but it didn't matter because I loved him."

Jenny reached out and pushed some of Hermione's hair from her face. "It's OK that you feel like that. There are a lot of people out in the world that wouldn't consider having sex with anyone unless they shared a strong bond. However, some people don't believe the semantics behind sex, it's more of a release for them, and it doesn't matter who they get their release with."

"That's a sad way to live. I've heard that when you're with someone that means a lot to you, then the feeling is euphoric," Hermione couldn't wait to experience it... _with Severus_.

"You're right. It's unfortunate, but people like me and the women who work here don't get that chance in life because of where we're now," Jenny managed to smile through her hurtful words. "No respectable man desires a woman who has worked in a whorehouse, yet the double standards in our society prove that a man who visits said place can still be considered respectable and worthy of love."

 _Merlin, she was right._

"It doesn't have to be that way!" Hermione exclaimed. "You could find someone, and be so very happy."

"I'm getting old."

"Old?" Hermione's voice was almost shrill. "Jenny, you're thirty-five years old! That's not old!"

"Thank you, sweetie," Jenny stroked her cheek. "Now, what book were you trying to hide from me?"

"Erm...nothing!" She laughed nervously. "It's just a mushy romance novel."

"Sure," Jenny smirked knowingly. "Why are you blushing for? Is it of an erotic nature?"

"N-No," She stammered. "Nothing of the sort."

"Let me look!" Jenny swiped the bag off the floor and retrieved the book. Hermione reached out to swipe it back, but Jenny shot to her feet and opened it up.

Jenny grumbled. "It's just a tiresome information book! Hermione, please don't tell me you're flattering the idea of soulmates. It's a myth."

Her eyes widened. "Can you see the words?"

"Of course I can, silly," She closed the book and put it back in Hermione's bag. "I could've done with reading an erotic novel. The last time I was intimate with someone was four years ago; it gets lonely on a cold night."

Hermione laughed, then regarded Jenny with a blissful smile. _I cannot believe it. Should I tell her that she has a soulmate? That she has someone that will love her unconditionally?_

"I'll see you later, sweetie. Annette needs help with the bar," Jenny placed a quick kiss on the side of Hermione's head, then left the foyer.

Hermione smiled to herself as she made her way out onto the balcony. She glanced down and saw a drunken wizard stumbling around, leaning onto the wall for support. Many things were rushing through her mind at the moment. Is Harry lying to her? Can she help find the new wave of soulmates? Should she tell Jenny?

However, the thought that plagued her the most was Snape. _Merlin, the next time I see him we aren't going to be interrupted. I'm sick of feeling deprived whenever I get pulled from our dreams-_

Hermione felt a hand on her wrist, and she was spun around effortlessly coming face to chest with the man of her dreams. His face was scrunched up in anger, she could feel it radiating off him, but it was something more than that. Frustration? Need?

His eyes wandered over her bemused face. Suddenly, he crashed his lips against hers, pulling her closer by her waist. She let out a squeal of surprise that was masked by his heated mouth on hers. Her shock soon faded, and heat rose up from her core.

Their lips moved smoothly against each other, his tongue probing against hers, flicking the roof of her mouth. She wound her arms around his neck pushing up on her tiptoes and grinding against him; she could already feel his need for her through his throbbing erection.

Snape buried a hand in her hair tenderly moving his fingers against her scalp like she had done for him before. It was a heavenly feeling, which heightened when his smell consumed her. _Merlin, he smells perfect._

Hermione moaned into his mouth pressing herself harder against him. She wanted so much more, but the balcony was not the place they needed to be. However, that didn't stop his flaming lips from moving along her jawline and down her neck. His teeth grazed her tender skin rendering animalistic purrs from her mouth.

The cold night didn't touch her skin; her whole body was overwhelmed by his ardent need. He tugged at her hair slightly, angling her head back so he could join their lips back together in another hungry kiss.

Hermione moved her arms from around his neck, travelling down his firm chest. Her fingers faltered at the hem of his shirt, but his kiss was far too distracting to fuel her worries. She eagerly slipped her slender fingers beneath his clothes and touched his warm skin. This time Snape groaned against her lips.

The sound was encouraging, so she continued to brush her fingers along his abdomen. There was a trail of hair that disappeared behind the band of his trousers, and she felt the same hair beneath her fingertips when she brushed along his chest, touching one of his nipples.

Suddenly, Snape pulled her hand away from its wandering and looked at her fiercely. Her lips were red with delight, a mirror image of his own. He leant down pressing his forehead against hers.

"Why did you stop?" She panted.

"I hardly think it's appropriate to tantalise you on a balcony," His voice was husky.

"I wasn't complaining," She whispered, and a rumble ignited from his chest.

"I have to return now. I'm supposed to be on patrol around Hogwarts," He explained his breath was spreading across her face. "I had to see you..." He paused. "Our dreams keep ending abruptly."

Hermione smiled innocently. "I know. I'm glad you visited."

"I'll be here next weekend," He stepped away from her.

"Goodbye, Severus."

Once again, she was watching his robes billowing behind him as he left the foyer.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN:/ I'm back with another chapter for you all! Please, try not to hate Harry too much after it, he has got some serious character development coming his way! Only one of you was close to guessing what's going on with the book, and I hope this provides some answers to your many questions :D_

 _As usual thanks to those of you who favourited and followed! And a HUGE thanks to **riaroo400, Paladium, Nastytashy, SevvieLuscious, purplehedgehog13, cbrendible, smithback, Arendora, lunarose87, SassenachStarbuck,** **Lazy gurl,** and **CrazySlytherin** this chapter is for you! :)_

 _Enjoy!_

 _P.S. Sorry for any major errors from proof-reading, I went over this without my glasses on, and my eyesight seriously sucks._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 7: A Date._**

Hermione overlooked the fountain through a window from the laboratory. Paula was sitting nearby, experimenting with proportions of love potions. She glanced down at her notebook. _This past week has been aggravating in a sense, I have many unanswered questions about the book, and all of them are written down._

However, it was only this morning that she noticed a common theme behind her thought process. It seems that Annette's name keeps popping up. She was the one acting oddly by the bookshelf before Hermione discovered the book. Also, according to Jenny, Annette had thought she was lonely. _It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?_

 _What if the book didn't hold any truth?_ Hermione would be devastated if it turned out to be fake. _I love the idea of having someone made perfectly for me. However, maybe it doesn't have anything to do with Annette._ She needed proof that Quinzel Harrington wrote this book. Snape had claimed he knew of the book but thought it had perished in the fire. Somehow, it had made it out unburnt. _I need to find out if Quinzel has any living relatives._

"Paula, have you heard of a Herbologist called Quinzel Harrington?" She asked, turning around in her chair.

Paula removed her goggles. "Never heard of her."

"Oh," She sighed.

"Are you doing some research on her?" Paula walked over to the counter Hermione was working at and gazed down at her notebook.

"Something like that; I discovered a book written by her and I was wondering if she had any living relatives I could talk to," She explained, closing her notebook.

"Is it to do with love potions?"

"Kind of," Hermione began to pack up her things as her shift was coming to an end. _It's almost seven o'clock, Paula and I had to stay late._ "I'll see you on Monday."

"Bye."

This week had been tedious, every second that passed was agonising, and she knew it was because her dreams weren't frequent. On Monday and Wednesday night, she hadn't got any sleep - _I was too busy with work_ \- then on the other nights, it seemed that Snape wasn't sleeping. However, last night there had been a dream, but this time it was his turn to be pulled out from the blissful scenario.

 _He must be having a stressful week at Hogwarts._

Hermione headed over to one of the fireplaces, but a familiar head of blond hair caught her eye. _Draco?_ He was leaning against the wall looking troubled yet confused. She cautiously walked over and entered his line of sight. His posture immediately straightened.

"Granger?" He greeted harshly. "You work here?"

She nodded. "What are you doing here?"

His cheeks reddened. "W-Well...I don't have to tell you anything!"

"I was only asking Draco. You look confused," She said. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"There's no need to pretend to be a good girl to me. You and I both know that we hate each other."

"Yet, we both have an interest in Harry," His eyes widened.

"What does that have to do with anything?" He exclaimed. "I don't have an interest in Potter!"

"OK, thank you for clearing things up, I'll be sure to tell him," Hermione turned on her heelpiece, but Draco stepped around to block her from leaving.

"Yes?" She raised a quizzing brow.

"I'm coming to the whorehouse later, make sure you're not there."

"No can do, Draco. We always go on a Friday," Her grip tightened on her bag strap. _The book is inside._ "Are you taking a dreamless sleep potion?"

He eyed her suspiciously.

"I think you are because Harry hasn't dreamt about you for two weeks now," She explained. "Also…" She trailed off reaching into her bag to pull out the book. With a swift motion, she opened it up and held it out to him. "Can you see anything on this page?"

"Yes," His face tightened in confusion. "What's going on?"

 _I knew it. Harry lied to me._

"Nothing to worry your blond head about, Draco. I may see you later," She stepped around him and made her way home.

When she arrived at Grimmauld Place, she found Harry submerging himself in a bottle of firewhisky. _He promised only to have two drinks tonight. He lied, again_. Hermione was reaching her breaking point. _I'm doing the best I can for him, but I'm not professional help; he needs professional help._

"Harry!" She ditched her bag by the kitchen door and walked over to him. "That's enough!" Hermione took the bottle away from him and placed it on the side.

"The heck!?" He yelled, shooting up from his chair. She saw him stagger from his quick actions. "I was drinking that…"

"You promised me that you'd only have two drinks tonight," She kept her voice steady. "But, it appears that you've already exceeded your limit. There's only half a bottle of firewhisky left."

"I can do what I want!" He snapped, rushing towards her. _He has never got this angry before._ She could see a vein pulsing viciously on his forehead; his jaw was tight in his fury.

"Harry, calm down," She muttered, flinching away from his firewhisky breath.

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" He screamed in her face, and she narrowed her eyes up at him. "I don't want you here!" Hermione moved to get away from him, but his hand latched onto her wrist tightly.

"Let go!" She tried to escape his clutch. However, his grip tightened cutting off the blood flow to her fingers. "Harry, you're hurting me!"

"Good!" He seethed as he grabbed the bottle of firewhisky with his free hand and took a sip. "This makes me feel good! Stop interfering!"

"Let me go!" He didn't, and the look in his eyes let her know that she needed to get out of the house. "Harry, please."

"Pack your shit. I don't want you here anymore!" He pulled her close to his chest, and she yelped.

"Harry, you're drunk-"

"No, I'm not!" Hermione gritted her teeth, then violently yanked herself out of his hold. She stared down at the red finger marks around her delicate wrist. "Get out!"

Whenever Harry got extremely drunk, he usually ended up crying and seeking her out for comforting words. Never had he been violent, not like this. She searched his eyes for any sign of hope, and the pain in her wrist made her bottom lip quiver.

"Can't you see everything I've done for you. Everything I am doing!?" She screeched. "You don't work! I pay for all of your food! Your drink! I give you the money to pay the women at the whorehouse! I'm working long hours, five days a week to keep us stable! I've even put money aside for us to go on holiday together!"

"After slaving away at work, I come back to make sure you get fed; then I take you to the whorehouse every weekend! I've always been on my own up until recently. I sat in a dimly lit room, listening to things that made my stomach turn! Then after you've finished your drunken bender, I drag your arse back home and make sure you're tucked into bed safely! My whole life revolves around you! I'm not interfering with your life because you wouldn't have a life to live if I wasn't here! Think about that while you sober up!"

Hermione grabbed her bag, then fled the room.

...

Hermione rolled down her blazer sleeve to cover the bruise that was forming around her wrist. She didn't have access to a bruise salve, but there was one at home; _I can't return there at the moment._

She buried her face in her hands and choked on her sob. _Harry's very ungrateful. Why can't he see I'm only trying to help him?_ "He has gone too far this time," She muttered. "Too far."

"Hermione?" She immediately took her hands away from her face and quickly wiped her tears off her cheeks. She should've sensed him coming. However, she could now smell his consuming scent.

"Hello, Severus," Hermione plastered a fake smile on her face and looked over at him.

He was wearing his teaching robes, and he looked exhausted from a long week. Though, it appeared Hermione's smile wasn't fooling him. She watched his appearance go from tiredness to anger at the sight of her tearstained cheeks, and he moved over to her instantly.

"What happened!?" His thundering voice sent shockwaves through her body.

"N-Nothing," She lied. Hermione felt bad for not being honest, but she knew better than to tell him what had transpired. _I don't want Severus to hurt Harry._

"Learn to lie better, Granger," His voice settled into his comforting drawl, and she leant into him slightly.

"It has been a very trying week," She whispered. "A lot of long nights and coming home to more work."

Hermione felt his doubtful eyes on her, so she quickly flashed him another smile. "I've been dealing with a prank war between Slytherin and Gryffindor house all week. The dunderheads are getting creative and striking at night."

She laughed. "At least they're having fun."

"Being consistently kept away from sleep isn't fun, Hermione. These past few weeks have been the only time I ever welcomed it," The one thing she liked/hated about Snape was his ability to be brutally honest. Sometimes it brought joy to her fluttering heart, or it sunk it like an iron weight in water. However, she never expected him to be so admitting of his feelings just yet.

"Isn't it odd that we've both had bad weeks?" She mused, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "Maybe we're both deprived of dreams."

"Who knows, perhaps you're right," He smirked subtly. "One can only wish to fall into a blissful sleep tonight."

Her giggle almost made her cringe. _I sound like a lovestruck little girl._ "Other than the prank war, how has your week been?" She unconsciously fiddled with the sleeve that covered her bruised wrist.

It was an action that he noticed with narrowed eyes. "Nothing abnormal."

"Good," She chirped and pulled the sleeve down to cover more of her hand. "I've been trying to do some research on the book-" Snape grabbed her by the arm and yanked up her blazer sleeve, revealing the dark bruise wrapped around her wrist.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" He asked flatly; his tone didn't waver. _He's furious._

"I-I had an accident at work..." She murmured, and he pinned her with an angry look.

"I'm not sure what you do for a living, Hermione. But those," He pointed to her bruises. "Look like finger marks. It would be in your best interest not to lie to me."

Hermione took in a huge breath and lowered her head. "I got into a fight with Harry...h-he was very angry at me for telling him to stop drinking, then he grabbed me."

She noticed that Snape was tenderly stroking the tight skin near her wrist, but his eyes and face didn't display any of his kind gesture. "Potter..." He hissed.

"It's OK; I'll sort things out tomorrow. Technically, Harry kicked me out, but I'm sure he'll think differently tomorrow."

"The sod kicked you out?" He retorted, and she realised he was burning a hole into the floor with his eyes.

Hermione nodded. "I know he didn't mean to do it. He was drunk and angry-"

"Don't try to justify his actions!" He snapped back. "He's not the victim!"

"I'm not justifying his actions!" She clipped back.

"Hermione, he hurt you!"

"I know that!"

"He hurt you! I'm going to kill him!" He moved to get up, but she pulled him back down by his arm.

"You won't do such a thing, Severus. I will talk reasonably with him tomorrow morning, where he will no doubt cry over his actions," She explained. "It's only a bruise. It will heal."

"He still caused you harm," He growled bringing his face closer to hers.

"He did," She whispered glancing down at his lips. "But, I'm OK now."

"Hm," He grunted moving his gaze down to her rosy mouth, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. He moved away keeping them a word apart and nudged her chin with a long finger.

"I've missed you," Hermione brushed her lips against his; a light feather-like kiss that started a fire in her stomach. It was a heartwarming scenario being this close to him, their lips occasionally brushing, but never in a proper, intense kiss that usually devoured them.

"Hermione, can I take you out for dinner-"

"Severus!" Draco shouted from somewhere in the building, causing them both to pull away from each other. _Why does somebody always interrupt!?_ "You said you wouldn't leave me alone in this shit hole- Granger!"

Hermione looked over Snape's shoulder at the blond haired git; he was wearing the same clothes she'd seen him in only a couple of hours ago.

"I told you not to come," He didn't hide his disappointment. "Typical Gryffindor not doing what she's asked."

"He's not here Draco so you can lay off the snide remarks," She grumbled, resting further back into the sofa giving Snape a funny look. _Was he about to ask me out to dinner...on a date?_

Draco regarded her with uncertainty. "Then why are you here?"

"I have friends here who I'm very close to."

"Are you sure that you don't work here, Granger?" His words emanated a growl from Snape's chest, and he glared at Draco.

"Watch your tongue boy!" He snapped. "Go downstairs."

"Why because you want to stay up here with Granger?" He scoffed, blatantly not thinking that the words he spoke held an element of truth.

"Let us go and find some salve to put on your wrist," He said - _oddly_ \- soft. They got to their feet and left Draco behind in the foyer.

 _Would he oppose to me pushing him into one of the rooms and having my way with him?_ The idea was tempting. She gazed at his tense shoulders. _OK, would he oppose to me giving him a massage?_ It was a more alluring thought. Suddenly, she collided with his back, and he grabbed the front of her shirt to stop her falling.

"Thank you," She mumbled.

"Evening, love," Annette stepped out of her study. "How are you feeling-"

"Do you have a salve?"

"Don't be rude, Severus," Hermione scolded. "I'm doing well Annette, how are you?"

Annette smirked as her eyes roamed over them. "I'm a little tired tonight, and my knees were causing me grief this week. A perk of getting old."

"I can make you something for it?" She offered, and Annette smacked a wet kiss on her head.

"That would be lovely," She grinned. "Severus there is a salve in my study," She pointed to the door behind her, then bid them goodbye.

"Please refrain from scolding me like a child, Granger," He grumbled walking into the room.

"Get used to it," She retorted, looking over the bookshelves filled with odd books. "The only thing I'll ever try to change about you is your lack of manners towards people. Other than that, you're free to be yourself."

"I don't recall you being perfectly etiquette," He shot back, opening up a cabinet.

"Tell me, Severus, when was the last time you said please or thank you?" She heard him scoff as she took a book from the shelf.

"I remember my manners when necessary Hermione."

"Of course you do," She whispered and walked over reading the first page of a random book. Her eyes widened, and she flung the book on the table. "The idea of Annette reading an erotic novel unsettles me."

Snape glanced down at the open book catching a few of the words. He looked back at her with a small smile. "Give me your arm."

She tilted her head to the side with a playful smirk. "What's the magic word?"

"Your arm if you will," He held out his waiting palm, and she rolled her eyes. "May I have your arm, please," She laughed, placing herself in his hold. He began to apply the salve, and she beamed at the movement of his fingers.

When he finished, and the bottle returned to the shelf, he looked at her thoroughly.

"You were asking me something before Draco interrupted," She stepped closer to him craning her neck so she could gaze into his dark eyes.

"Mhm," His mouth fell into a thin line. "Dinner?"

"Dinner sounds lovely," Hermione whispered. "I thought that you should know, I don't kiss on the first date-" She stumbled backwards from the force of his lips connecting with hers. She inhaled sharply, immediately wrapping her arms around his neck.

His tongue found its way into her mouth, and she couldn't fight the smile from forming between open-mouthed kisses. _I would be content for the rest of my life kissing him...OK, that's a lie. I need much more than kissing._

Snape escorted her back into the desk and swiftly seized behind her thighs to hoist her up onto the wooden surface. The new leverage was intoxicating, and she groaned into his mouth. He ran his hand up her thigh causing her to shiver as she hooked her leg around his waist to bring him closer.

The feel of his hardening erection pressed against her warm heat fuelled her forming ecstasy. Snape moved his hand under her shirt, carefully tracing circles on the soft skin of her stomach, then ventured his hand up to cup her breast through her lacy bra.

Hermione moaned agonisingly, her body swelling up with unbearable tension. She dropped her hands to his chest, curling her fingers against his dark robes. Snape grazed his lips along her jawline prompting her to arch into him more.

He gently kneaded her breast against his palm, and Hermione felt raw emotion overflow her body. It had to be the soulmate bond because she couldn't imagine anyone else ever making her feel so stimulated just by touching her.

She knew he felt it too, but his reaction was to stiffen, probably from the unfamiliarity of such an intense feeling. Snape didn't remove his hand from her breast but did pull his lips from their descent to her neck. His eyes locked onto hers with a gaze that was almost loving.

"Sunday evening," He said huskily.

 _Our date_. "Sunday sounds brilliant," Hermione's creased brow ruined the moment. "I think I'm sitting on a book," She shifted on the desk and retrieved it from beneath her.

"It looks like a journal," He removed his hand from her breast, but kept himself close.

Hermione smirked, opening up the front page. " _The Journal of Annette Harrington_. She really shouldn't leave this lying around-OH, Merlin!"

Snape snatched the journal from her and allowed Hermione to lean against him to look at it. "Quinzel Harrington, the author of the book...Annette Harrington. I wouldn't say that's a coincidence."

 _It seems we've just discovered a living relative of the writer of Soulmates. I have a lot of questions._


	8. Chapter 8

_AN/: Sorry for the wait, I rewrote this chapter three times because it wasn't coming out the way I wanted it to! Hopefully this one sits well with you! Anyhow, thank you to those who favourited and followed, and another **HUGE** thanks to **Nastytashy, riaroo400, , purplehedgehog13, TWILIGHTER110323, cbrendible, Smithback, CrazySlytherin, FrancineHibiscus,** **Arendora** and **Paladium** for reviewing, this one is for you :) Date night will either be the next chapter or the one following, it depends on how things go..._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 8: Falling._**

"There you are, Severus," The door flung open revealing Lucius Malfoy in dishevelled robes.

Hermione didn't move away from Severus and kept herself pressed against the arm that held the open journal. It slammed shut with a thump, then Severus shielded her with his back. _I can't see._

She leant to the side to observe the ageing Malfoy. He wasn't old looking - _he seems the same as normal_ \- you could just tell he'd been through a lot. It was a comical sight to see his hair a mess from a romp with one of the working women.

"I see you've found something to occupy yourself with while I'm busy," His judgemental eyes tried to look her over, but Snape made sure he couldn't see any part of her body that wasn't her face. "Where's my son-" A small frame collided with Lucius' back, jostling him forward a step.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir," Jenny rambled her face flushing with colour. Lucius swept his eyes down her form curiously then looked away. "Annette's had a fall."

"Is she alright?" Hermione scrambled off the desk and straightened out her work clothes.

"You know what her knees like, it might keep her off her feet for a few days," Jenny explained. "She said there is something up here that she uses to put on it."

Snape returned to the cabinet that held numerous bottles and took a phial which contained a thick paste, then handed it to Jenny.

"Thank you," She ran her fingers along the label. "Hopefully her injury will allow her to get some rest. She works too much."

"I'll come down and see her," Hermione glanced around the room. "Where's my bag?"

"The foyer," Snape grunted, looking annoyed from the disturbance.

"Oh..." Her eyes widened. _I've left the book in there with Draco_. "Bugger!" Hermione ran out of the room and down the corridor. She spotted her open bag which no longer contained the book. Snape came up behind her, and his hand rested on her lower back. "Draco has the book."

A door slammed shut from below the balcony, and she rushed out immediately spotting Draco heading towards the apparition point with the book in his hand. He turned to look at her. His face bore mortification, anger, realisation. All of those emotions conflicting with one another. Then, he disappeared in a whirl of robes.

"W-Where do you think he's gone?" Her words came out fast, and she turned to face Snape. "What if he does something to the book?"

She caught sight of his hand moving towards her face, but he stopped, realising the two person audience behind him.

"Why did Draco leave?" Lucius asked.

"Erm..." Hermione's cheeks flushed, not knowing what to say.

"Miss Granger has been refusing to let your son read a rare book of hers. They've been squabbling over it whenever they crossed paths. It seems Draco took advantage when she left her bag alone with him. He must've run off to read it."

"My son needs to get a life. I'm ready to leave now, Severus," Lucius walked away, burning an odd look into the back of Jenny's head.

"Did he steal that book about soulmates?" Jenny asked. "He's a smart boy, why does he wish to read such fiction?"

Hermione felt Snape's eyes on her. _I forgot to tell him about Jenny._

"I'm not sure," She shrugged. "I'll come down in a few minutes to see how Annette is holding up."

"Very well," Jenny left with a confused look on her face.

"She knows about the book?" Snape turned to her causing Hermione to tilt her head back a little.

"She can read it."

"Oh," He grunted. "We need to talk to Annette. She might have some answers."

Hermione nodded. "We should ask her tomorrow evening? Will you be here then?"

"I'm afraid not," He whispered. "I'm supervising the Hogsmeade trip, and then I have some important meetings that I must attend."

"OK," She looked down at the floor. "I'll get some answers tomorrow, then tell you what I discover at our dinner," The mention of their date made her blush. "Shall I meet you here?"

"Yes," He brought his hand up and cupped her chin. There was a strange look in his eyes, one that she'd never seen before. It made her feel warm inside and relaxed all of her anxiety. _I like feeling this way_. "I'll see you on Sunday, Hermione."

A sweet smile graced her lips, and he stole a quick kiss from them. "I cannot wait for Sunday."

Snape smiled a little, then walked from the balcony and out of the foyer. _I'm making a vow right now; Sunday evening will be the night that I finally get to have Severus Snape_. Hermione could only wish that he was making a similar promise.

...

Harry heard the crack of someone disapparating in the back garden. He turned his head towards the open living room door, then looked around at his trashed surroundings. He had abused the place until exhaustion took over and he found himself sleeping off some of the alcohol. _It has only been a few hours. Merlin, I need to apologise._

He struggled to his feet and grabbed the side of his pounding head. The past week had been difficult, but Hermione was still around cheering him on over his little achievements. On Tuesday she'd baked him some biscuits because he hadn't drunk a single drop of alcohol the day before. _I enjoyed the feeling of being appreciated._

Harry frowned at the thought of her; _I never meant to shout at her like that...I don't know what made me so angry_. He was lying, of course, he knew what had triggered his rage. The fact that he hadn't been drinking himself into oblivion left him open to having dreams, but yet, he didn't have any. Not a single one. It was like his mind had only been made to entertain dreams of Draco.

He winced, _that son of a bitch. I hate him._ He thanked Merlin every day that he hadn't heard from the blond git for two long years. Their dreams were manageable thanks to the alcohol. Harry looked at the broken bottle of firewhisky. _I'm such a mess._

The back door opened, then shut with a thud. Harry staggered over to the door and stepped out into the hall to wait for her. He was ready to grovel at her feet to beg for her forgiveness. He'd do anything to have her stroke his hair and tell him everything will be OK.

 _I sound like a child._

He didn't catch sight of her and couldn't hear any movement. _Maybe she just stopped by to grab something._ _She has every right to be pissed at me._ Harry stumbled back into the living room and sat down on the sofa with his head in his hands.

The door creaked behind him. "Hermione, I'm so sorry for what I did-" He paused in horror at the sight of Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway.

Harry felt the oxygen leave his lungs making his chest rapidly rise and fall for air. His mouth parted a little, and his face flooded red in anger. He couldn't tell what was going on inside of Draco's mind; his face held his usual sneer.

Harry's throat became dry - probably from the alcohol - but he managed to find the words he'd been searching for. "Get the _fuck_ out of my house, Malfoy!" He spat with all the venom he could muster up. _How the bloody hell did he get in here!?_

"Quieten down, Potter," The way he said his name caused a shiver to rock his spine. "I have much to discuss with you," His smug eyes observed the messy room. "Did you have a tantrum?"

"Fuck you!" He snapped back. "I don't want to talk to you!"

Draco flinched. "You'll listen to what I have to say."

"Malfoy, I'm deadly serious. Get out before I curse you!" He hissed scanning the trashed room for his wand, then growled when he couldn't see it anywhere. "I don't want to talk to you..." He whispered sinking back into the sofa. "Just leave me, please."

Harry heard him move around the sofa, then take a seat at the far end. He turned his head and narrowed his eyes at the book in his hand. _That's the book Hermione showed me. How did he get that?_

"Granger seems to have a peculiar reading habit," Draco drawled. "She hardly seems like the type to indulge herself in fantasy texts, and I know she prefers facts in her reading. So, imagine my surprise when I happen to find a book such as this in her possession."

 _That's the book she asked if I could see...I lied to her._

"It appears to have a unique concealment charm on it. One that only allows specific people to see the text hidden inside," Draco raked his eyes over him, leaving a trail of goosebumps. "Potter-"

"I don't want you here," Harry strained. "I don't want you here. You've fucked up my life enough already, and I can't stand to be in your presence any longer."

Draco let some of his hair cover his face. "Potter it appears you cannot take rejection well-"

"This isn't about rejection!" Harry yelled, getting to his feet. Dizziness tried to overpower him, but he pushed through the haziness. "Yes, I would've been equally upset if you'd just told me you didn't return my affections. However, I would've gotten over it eventually, moved on with my life, but you decided to humiliate me in front of strangers. Hermione had to pay someone from the Prophet not to publish a story about it! You called me a faggot, do you realise how offensive that is? But, I shouldn't have expected much, you're a Malfoy after all - a Death Eater."

Draco got to his feet, leaving the book on the sofa. He stalked over with no emotion on his profile and stood eye level with him. His empty eyes moved over Harry's face, and he swore they lingered at his lips for a millisecond longer. Draco finally looked into his eyes.

"However, it's a Death Eater that you like," He whispered. "A Malfoy who you confessed to."

"I can assure you whatever feelings I thought I had, are gone," Harry said roughly. "I have better things to do with my life then like a vile ferret."

Draco narrowed his beautiful eyes at him, and Harry fought back the urge to touch him. Being this close to him was difficult, he could almost feel his breath against his face, almost imagine what it felt like to touch him.

His eyes zoned in on the faint colour appearing on Draco's pale complexion. Harry's eyes immediately shot back to his. It was hard not to think about what it meant, and his rapid heartbeat was fuelling the desire he always had to push away.

Harry thought back to their dreams; the only time he was ever happy. To begin with, their nighttime affairs had been a fight against real feelings. An argument that turned into a kiss, a competition which escalated to a fumbling over robes, brushing hands when on patrol at Hogwarts. All of those innocent dreams had built up the tension until one night it exploded. They'd found themselves arguing over what had been occurring and kept pushing one another's buttons - it was easy to do - until Harry snapped and made a move. He had meant it innocently, but before they knew it, both of them lay on a pile of discarded clothes letting the heat from the fireplace consume them.

That dream had been the one that prompted Draco to march into his workplace and scream at him to stop messing with his dreams.

"Why are you here?" Harry hissed.

"To talk to you about something," He growled back. _I want to kiss him so badly right now._

"Do you ever wonder if it would feel any different from our dreams?" Harry had to admit that his mild drunken state was in control now. "That if we kissed it would feel better than our nightly encounters?"

"I don't think of such things!" He snapped, but he didn't take a step back. _Interesting._

"Are you sure, Malfoy?" Harry poked his finger at Draco's chest. "Because I think you do."

"You have no idea what I think about," He retorted. "Not a single clue."

Harry's eyes fell on his lips. "What would you do if I kissed you?"

"You better back the hell off me, Potter."

"No, why don't you back away?" He didn't take his eyes away from Draco's mouth. "You're the one who came here. How else did you expect me to react? You've messed up my whole life," He looked back up at him. "I'm selfish enough to let my desires take control."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't dare try to touch me-"

Harry growled, then crashed his lips against Draco's, who immediately tried to push him off. The kiss was awkward, and it resembled a likeness to the first kiss they'd shared in their dreams. He grazed his tongue gently along Draco's lips begging for a reaction. However, he got nothing in response, so he gave up.

It was hard to pull away, and Harry couldn't stand that Draco wasn't feeling the same way as him. Could he not feel the heat? The desire? _Perhaps I cannot deal with rejection._

Harry looked at Draco's reddened face, then took a step back. He was standing rigidly in the centre of the room with a look that was miles away in his eyes. Suddenly, he felt something shift in the air around him. Harry could smell Draco - a fragrance of honeysuckles surrounded by a dewy woodland day. The distinct scent was easy to identify, _how odd?_ Harry mused.

Draco inhaled sharply, bringing his attention back to Harry. He moved his eyes down his body, then inhaled again. Something flashed in his eyes, but his familiar sneer masked it moments later.

"Harry, are you in here-What the hell did you do to the living room?" Hermione exclaimed, and as her eyes moved around the trashed room, she finally noticed Malfoy. "How did you get here?"

"It doesn't matter," He grunted coarsely. "I was just leaving."

"I think that might be for the best," She said, eyeing up Harry's trembling form. "You aren't taking my book with you."

Draco stiffened. "I have every right to the book-"

"Malfoy, I promise to talk to you about it at a later date. However, right now you're trespassing. Leave."

Her clear instructions got him moving, and Draco left without looking back.

...

Hermione sighed, then massaged her forehead. She waved her wand to clear up the living room and retrieved the book from the sofa. She could feel Harry watching her closely, not knowing what to say.

"Harry just go to bed, and we'll talk in the morning," She said holding the book to her chest.

"I lied about the book," He admitted.

"I know," She whispered back. "We've a lot to discuss, but you need to sleep off the alcohol."

"'Mione, I'm so sorry that I lashed out," He stepped closer, and she shook her head.

"Go to bed," Hermione flashed him a simple smile, then nodded at the door. "I forgive you Harry, but you need to rest."

"So do you, I know you haven't slept well this week-" She pointed at the door. "O-OK."

Harry reluctantly walked out of the room, and she lit the fire. _I wonder what Draco said to him? How did that git get in here? It's going to be a long weekend._

 _Hermione's to-do list so far was:_

 _. Question Annette._

 _. Explain the situation to Harry._

 _. Talk things over with Draco._

 _. Possibly inform Jenny that she has a soulmate._

 _. Pass on her findings of the book to Severus._

 _. Go on a date._

. _Then, hopefully, spend the night with the man that had haunted her dreams for weeks._

 _I'm going to be exhausted by Monday - in a good way if Sunday goes to plan,_ she smirked. Hermione glanced down at the book, she wished to read more, but she was currently feeling tired. The fire was making her sleepy, so she conjured a blanket from her room and lay down on the sofa. The firelight glowed against her skin, and she nuzzled her face into the pillow. _Please let me have a dream..._

 _Snow fell on Hogwarts, coating the surface with white softness. The dungeons were unbelievably cold, but Hermione managed to make it through without catching her death. She opened up the door to Severus' private quarters and smiled when the heat from the fire hit her. He wasn't around at the moment, busy dealing with a group of Slytherins who had stayed behind for the Christmas holidays._

 _She was bringing him a present - her. She was wrapped up in silky green robes with a black ribbon around her waist hoping that he'd be unwrapping her tonight._

 _Hermione sauntered over to his desk and sat on the edge to wait. She allowed her bare leg to come free as she placed it over the other. Her hair rested on top of her head in frizzy curls a few of them hung loosely adding to her sex appeal. She was a very enchanting present to unwrap._

 _The door slowly opened revealing the dark figure of her professor. A look of annoyance knotted his features until his gaze rested on hers. She watched a devious smirk spread out on his face, and his eyes darkened at the sight of her on his desk._

 _"Evening, Professor Snape. I've come to give you your Christmas present," She tilted her head to the side innocently._

 _"You have?" He asked, kicking the door shut behind him. "I don't see a present anywhere?" He stalked towards her._

 _"Come closer, and you'll see the ribbon that you need to undo," Her sultry look made blood rush straight to his cock. She sensed his sudden arousal and smirked with triumph._

 _Hermione rose to her feet and looked up at him. He towered over her in all his predatory glory, fuelling the fire burning in her stomach. She placed her hand on his firm chest, then slowly walked her fingers down to his belt._

 _"I'll unwrap you afterwards," She whispered and stepped back a little. Snape reached out his large hand, then tugged on the black ribbon. It easily came undone and fluttered to the floor. Her green robes revealed her black lacy bra and thong that were hiding beneath. The sight caused Severus to moisten his dry lips._

 _He reached up and pushed the green silk from her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor with the ribbon. His hands branded her skin, and her lips parted slightly._

 _Severus captured her full lips against his in a passionate kiss. She pushed herself up on the tip of her toes to give her more height, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, then cupped the back of her head._

 _They moved perfectly against one another, grinding their cores together to create more heat. Hermione moaned into his heavenly mouth and ran her hand up to his neck to wrap his soft hair around her fingers._

 _Severus dropped his hand to the strap of her bra and swiftly undid the clasp. She stepped back a little to remove it, then immediately returned to his warmth. They didn't break away from their kiss, both of them revelling in the feel of want and desire._

 _Hermione's nipples hardened against his covered body, and his panting chest created more friction against them. She pulled away letting her head sink back with a moan, and he began to ravish her neck intensely._

 _He walked her backwards into his bedroom, and she was grateful for the arm supporting her waist. They soon landed on the bed, and Severus trailed kisses along her collarbone and down to her breast._

 _His fiery eyes looked up at her, and an ecstatic smile grew on her face when she felt his breath on her right nipple. His sharp tongue darted out to brush against it, and she arched into his mouth. Unfamiliar emotions flooded her body from his mere touch, and all she wanted was for him to be inside of her._

 _Hermione tangled her fingers into his hair as he moved his mouth from her breast and down her flat stomach. She watched him through hooded eyes that filled up with lust. The slight stubble on his chin brushed against the skin above her thong, and he curled his fingers around the sides then pulled them down her long legs._

 _An animalistic noise came from his chest, and before she could catch her breath, his mouth descended on her wet heat. She cried out in pleasure and her eyes glazed over in rapture. The feel of his tongue against her swollen bud set her nerve endings alight, and she tightened her hold on his hair._

 _"Severus..." She whimpered, and his rumbled groan vibrated her core causing her to cry out again. He continued magically moving his tongue along her, bringing her closer to the edge. Her persistent wiggling and arching turned him on more, and the subtle purrs arising from her red lips drew him close to his peak before he was even inside of her._

 _Severus slipped a large digit inside of her, and he felt her walls stretch around him, accommodating more as he pushed a second finger into her. She was warm and enticing, lying on his bed whimpering in need; she was the real picture of ecstasy._

 _"Please..." She whispered, but the rest of the words weren't audible because she buried her face into the mattress. He kept moving his tongue against her wet heat, consistently pumping his fingers inside of her._

 _Hermione's body started to tense violently, and she felt the wave of an orgasm splash over her. She cried out his name and pushed herself further into his mouth. A white light clouded her vision just before she felt like she was falling._

 _Huh?_

Hermione's eyes flew open. _Holy crap I'm falling!_ She landed on a bundle of dark bedsheets in a freezing room. The mattress beneath her was soft, much like the bed in her dream. _Wait, this does look like the bed I was on-_

"Hermione?" She scrambled off the mattress at the sound of Snape's husky voice, then glanced down at the clothes she'd fallen asleep in. "How the heck did you get here?"

She stared blankly at a shirtless Snape who was lying in his bed with a slight colour to his cheeks. _I don't understand, one minute I was experiencing the best dream orgasm I've ever had, then I'm here...in Severus' room. At Hogwarts._


	9. Chapter 9

_AN:/ Hello! Sorry for the wait, I have TWO chapters for you today, and then the one following the two will be the date chapter! Try not to hate on Draco too much until you've read the next chapter :D As always thank you to those who have favourited and followed it means a lot. Also, thank you to **Nastytashy, , purplehedgehog13, RhodaBush, TheLadyBookworm, Missfroogy, Paladium, cbrendible, SevvieLuscious, Arendora, smithback, whiteroses1743, CrazySlytherin,** **FrancineHibiscus** , and **Guest** for reviewing, these two chapters are for you!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: Many Questions.**_

Hermione's core throbbed painfully, and she awkwardly tried to cross her legs. His eyes pinned her to the cold floor, and a sheepish smile grew on her face. _It appears that I've apparated in my sleep somehow._

She smiled at the funny situation. _One second I'm in the depths of an intense orgasm then my body decides that I ought to be with the person who was giving it to me. It's rather hilarious._

"I think I may have apparated in my sleep," She rubbed her tired eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous," He said bitterly. _Is he mad that I ruined our dream again?_ Her face fell.

Snape ran a hand through his messy hair, then threw back the dark bedsheet and got to his feet. He stalked around the bed to stand in front of her.

"You can't be here," He grunted with cold eyes.

"I'm sorry that I've made you angry, I didn't mean to apparate here, it wasn't intentional," She rambled on not taking a breath. "Perhaps it's something to do with our bond, Draco turned up at Grimmauld Place with the book, so I have it back now. I should get back to research what has happened. Again, I'm terribly sorry to have disturbed you-"

"For Merlin's sake, breathe woman!" He growled in annoyance. "Hermione I'm not angry with you."

"You aren't?" She exhaled.

"No," His eyes travelled down her body. "Our dream was rather intense, however, while you got your release...I did not," He spoke through gritted teeth. "And nothing is happening between us until with at least go on our damn date."

 _What a gentleman_ , she mused.

The words sounded painful for him to say. Hermione's eyes lowered to the prominent bulge in his grey pyjama trousers; she looked back up at him with dark eyes.

"I could-"

He growled. "Apparate back."

"I'm not sure I can. Shouldn't I head to the apparition point?"

"You apparated here which means you can go back," She looked over his tense facial features. The lines that aged him were more noticeable, nevertheless, he was handsome regardless of his age.

Hermione knew that their bond fuelled her attraction towards him, but she'd still found him oddly beautiful before knowing about their bound souls. Through her readings of muggle literature, she knew that there were times when a woman may discover a strange desire for someone who most people consider ugly, and that attraction was hard to explain. It was just the feeling one always got around them.

She could settle for that in life. _Why would I want someone that is annoying and put on a pedestal by the word because they fit in with the norm of beauty? Severus is perfect in my eyes. Beyond perfect._

"Hermione, leave," His harsh voice cut her away from her dreamy thoughts.

"OK," She moved forward quickly to place a chaste kiss on his lips, but he stepped back. "What?"

"It isn't a good idea. I'll see you on Sunday," She frowned.

"Severus, are you sure? I don't mean to sound crude, but you brought me an enormous amount of pleasure in our dream. It isn't fair that you don't get some form of release-

"Miss Granger!" He snapped causing her to jump.

"I'm sorry," _Why do I have to act so awkward?_ "Bye!" She squeaked, disappearing from the room.

...

Hermione absently grabbed her fork, stabbed it into some bacon, then put it in her mouth. Her other hand was scribbling away in her notebook as she wrote down all the inquiries she had for Annette.

Harry was still asleep, and she was waiting for him to come down so they could talk over a warm breakfast. _I have a lot of questions for him and a lot of queries for Draco. Too much is going on in my head at the moment._

She continued to fill the page with the random thoughts that popped into her skull, and it soon became covered with her neat handwriting. The door opened revealing a tired looking Harry.

"Morning, did you get much sleep?" She asked, and he walked around the table to sit opposite her.

He shook his head. "A dreamless sleep isn't fun...I kept waking up, checking the time, then going back to sleep for another hour, and repeating the process over again."

"Drink this potion," She pulled a phial out of her pocket, and he thanked her with a nod. "If all goes to plan I will tell Draco to stop taking the dreamless sleep potion because it's causing you problems."

"Can I come with you?" He asked, taking a sip of coffee.

Hermione sighed. "First, you need to tell me what happened last night."

"He got into the house with your book and said he needed to talk to me. I got angry with him, then we argued and I...well I kissed him...forced myself on him..." Harry groaned burying his fingers into his messy hair. "He told me that I couldn't handle rejection, and I think he may be right."

"The only advice I can offer you is that Draco's never outright said that he rejected you. Yes, when you confessed he called you horrible names and laughed, but he never said he didn't feel the same way," She explained. "I'm not trying to fill your head with false hope, but there might be a chance that he reciprocates your feelings."

"He has a funny way of showing it," He muttered. "I feel pathetic chasing after a man that doesn't want me."

"Harry, I'm going to explain a serious subject to you," Hermione summoned the soulmates book. "I know you can read it, and you know what the book is about."

"Soulmates," He bit into a piece of toast. "So, you and Snape are connected?"

Hermione smiled recalling their nightly encounter. "Very much so."

"I'm glad you're happy," He whispered. "Will you be taking the book to the Ministry?"

"No, this doesn't concern them," Harry knew of her job as an Unspeakable, and it hadn't taken him long to guess what chamber she worked in. Luckily, she wouldn't get into trouble because she never directly told him what her job was within the Department of Mysteries; neither did she say his assumption was correct. "After I finish reading the book and gathering information from Annette, I hope to go out into the world and help people find their soulmates."

"What does Madam Annette have to do with this?" Harry gave her a perplexed look.

"A relative of hers wrote this book," She tapped her finger against the cover. "I guess it might be her Grandmother."

"Wow..." She saw his hand twitch towards the book. "When we were talking in the cafe you mentioned that soulmates visit each other in their dreams."

Hermione saw the hopeful look on his face, and she smiled at him. "That is true. Severus and I started to experience them after the first night we met at the whorehouse. The dreams occur after you've come in contact with you intended soul."

"D-Draco?" He stammered. "And me?"

"I think so, Harry. It may be why Draco came over here after he discovered the book. I'm sure he had many things rushing through his mind."

"I don't understand; the dreams started long after we came in contact with one another for the first time. They began after I bumped into Draco at Diagon Alley," He admitted.

"Apparently, you can be with your soulmate for most of your life without knowing because of emotional barriers. Also, you have to be the age of consent," Hermione closed her notebook. "In your case, I assume that your hatred for one another through you adolescent years may have factored as an emotional barrier; along with you dealing with Voldemort, and Draco focusing on being a Death Eater. Even when you were of age, there was still something hindering your souls from recognising one another."

Hermione watched his hands shake. "That's a lot to take in...what about you and Snape?"

"Severus is a closed off man; we haven't even talked about his life as a Death Eater, nor what happened when he was a child. I guess he was the emotional barrier in our case, but when I returned to Hogwarts to take my exams, the war must've softened his walls a little because there were subtle hints of attraction between us."

"OK, then what triggered the dreams starting?" He asked.

"We were arguing," She smirked. "Severus hasn't changed much. He still snarls and scowls at everything that moves. Consequently, after a stressful week at work, running into him wasn't supposed to be on my agenda. It was when you slammed the door in my face after you threw up on one of the women. You pushed me right into Severus' arms, and then we proceeded to attempt a somewhat civilised conversation that soon escalated into an argument."

"And that caused your souls to connect?"

She shook her head. "Our argument built up a lot of...sexual tension."

"Oh!" He exclaimed, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Hermione, you had sex with him in the foyer?"

"No! We kissed that's all," She laughed. "We haven't had sex yet."

"Not even in your dreams?"

"Almost. We keep getting pulled away before it gets good," Hermione sighed resting her chin on her hand. "You've never said if you and Draco have."

"Yes, we have," He muttered. "After it happened he came storming into the Auror Department shouting at me."

"Oh so that's what provoked him," She raised a curious brow. "Yesterday I bumped into him after I'd finished work."

"Did he say what he was doing there?"

"No, but he appeared to be flustered - embarrassed possibly. I have my ideas as to why..." She trailed off.

"What theory do you have?" He retorted.

"Draco turned up at the whorehouse before last night," Harry sat up straight at her words. "He didn't know you were there until I told him, so I pulled him out into the alleyway where we exchanged heated words. I grilled him about the things he said, and there were times when he looked guilty; he was almost ashamed of what he'd done to you."

"Good," He grunted.

"I think Draco wanted to check up on you after our argument. However, he didn't know that you'd quit your job as an Auror, so I reckon he turned up at the department asking for you and received a firm response that you no longer worked there. As this is Draco we're talking about, I guess he got in embarrassed that he'd even bothered to attempt such a thing and fled feeling flustered about going in the first place," She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm only hypothesising the possibility."

"Hermione, thank you for trying to comfort me," He grabbed her hand. "Nonetheless, I don't think Draco feels the same way."

"Harry if you and Draco are soulmates, then trust me, he feels the same way. You share unconditional love, which means he returns everything you're feeling," She gave his hand a squeeze. "Malfoy is a very complicated person, and I don't believe he ever thought he could feel connected to someone of the same sex, especially you Harry."

"I never thought about it like that," He released her hand and finished off the food on his plate.

"I would say you should both talk it out, but I know it will be a long time before we can get you two in the same room again. If you're anything like you were at school the pair of you will provoke each other until one of you snaps."

"It's scary how well you know me," He murmured with a smirk. "You're right. It happened last night, and that ended badly."

"I thought so," She whispered. "You can come if you want to. Severus won't be there, and it would be a good idea if you two weren't in the same room."

"Is he still refusing to be near me because I saw his memories about my mum?" He asked.

"That may be partial to his reasoning. However, you caused me some bruising when you grabbed me yesterday."

His face fell, and a look of mortification appeared. Harry lightly grabbed her fingers and pulled up her jumper sleeve. The discolouration had mostly faded thanks to the salve, but parts were a faint yellow colour.

"'Mione, I'm sorry. I can't believe I grabbed you; please forgive me! I swear I won't touch a drop of alcohol again!" She turned her hand around to grasp his, running her thumb along the back.

"Harry, you're forgiven. Let's forget about it and move on. Severus may feel inclined to throw it in your face if you ever end up conversing with one another though."

"He's going to kill me," He let go of her hand to nudge his glasses up his nose.

"I'll tell him that you apologised," She said. "Back to the matter at hand, I think you should come with me tonight, but you aren't allowed to leave my side."

He nodded eagerly. "I promise."

"Good. Now, I need to read a bit more of the book. Would you like to join me?"

"Read it to me."

Hermione flicked through some of the pages and reached the point where she had finished.

 _"Lesson three: The Dream World. I've touched upon the topic briefly about the nature of the dreams shared. The emotional scenarios that you see are reflections of secret desires within your soul. It's common for these fantasies to end abruptly due to the overwhelming feelings produced or external factors; it's usually the latter. However, the overwhelming feelings conjured up from the dreams have led to some peculiar consequences. I've researched a couple who kept apparating to one another when one reached an ecstatic high. The woman - this was a same-sex couple - described seeing a flashing white light when she was amidst euphoria, then appeared next to her mate in bed."_

 _"Another case I studied - this is one of my favourites - is that of a couple who kept apparating to the location where the dream was taking place. One time the pair had been in their homes dreaming, then the next they both awoke in a meadow, on a different occasion, they were fantasising about being together in their old school classroom, and the couple apparated there. Thankfully, the room was devoid of students."_

Harry laughed. "Has this happened to you?"

"Yes," Hermione blushed. "Last night I ended up in Severus' quarters. He wasn't happy."

"I can imagine," He grinned.

"I think that's enough for now. Shall we go for a walk?"

...

Hermione pressed her notebook to her chest as they stood in the bar of the whorehouse. _It's full of life as usual, and Harry looks tense._ She knew it was going to be hard for him not to drink _. I believe in him._

Annette walked over with a slight limp, grinning affectionately at them. "Evening, my lovelies."

"Evening," Hermione smiled back, and Harry nodded.

"Are you heading up to the foyer?" She asked.

"Yes we are," She empathised the 'we' part and Annette smiled knowingly. "Would you mind joining us for a little while. I need to talk to you."

"Of course, my dear. I have some things I need to take care of first. Jenny's upstairs!" Annette dawdled off towards the bar, greeted with shouts from a group of drunk men.

Hermione glanced at Harry. "How are you feeling?"

His left eye twitched. "Fine. Let's go upstairs."

They made their way up the wooden staircase and across the landing. The corridors seemed to be filled with more people than normal, causing them to squeeze past a few randy couples; one pair was in mid fornication against the wall leaving them both flabbergasted.

"There are rooms for a reason-" Hermione paused when they rounded the corner. Harry walked into her, grabbing her waist to steady himself. She felt her heart drop at the sight and she heard the moment Harry understood what they were seeing.

Draco was pinning one of the women against the wall; their lips locked in a ferocious kiss, while one hand supported her legs around his hips, and the other was under her skirt.

Harry's grip tightened on her waist. _I know it's hypocritical of him as he's slept with many other women, but the scene of his unrequited love close to shagging someone in the corridor gave him every right to feel devastated_. Suddenly, he loosened his hold.

"I told you he didn't feel the same. We aren't soulmates," He said flatly. "I could do with a drink."

Hermione chased after him as he stormed past an oblivious Draco and into the foyer. It was Hermione's turn to walk into his back. She took in the sound of Jenny playing a soft melody on the piano, and Lucius Malfoy watching over a glass of firewhisky.

"Hi, Hermione!" She turned on the bench and smiled. "Evening Harry-" Her smile faltered at the thunderous look on his face. Jenny looked back at Hermione curiously.

"Sit down and have some tea, Harry," She led him to the sofa, and he sat down, glaring daggers at Lucius.

"Ah Potter, what a surprise to see you here," _Lucius' snobby voice isn't going to improve Harry's mood._

 _This evening wasn't meant to go this way!_

"Pleasure to see you too, Malfoy," He retorted through gritted teeth. "Your son is giving everyone a public display with one of the women."

"Good," He grunted. "The women here are for shagging; it would be a waste not to."

Hermione watched Jenny flinch at his words, and she whirled around to face him. "Sir, maybe you should abide by your words. The foyer is for Madam Annette's friends. She isn't particularly fond of you, so I'm asking you to leave."

Lucius grinned up at her. "Have I offended you, sweetheart?"

Hermione held her breath at his endearment. _I've never heard him sound sincere yet malicious before._

Jenny crossed her arms over her dress. "The likes of you could never offend me, sir."

"The likes of me?" He sneered, his smile gone.

"Yes, a bigot like you should never flatter the thought of offending me. Leave!"

 _I bet Lucius thought she was going to call him a Death Eater...praise Merlin that she didn't. He might have killed her._ An odd look appeared on his face, and he moved his eyes over Jenny's form, then gritted his teeth and left without a single word.

"That man is intolerable!" She exclaimed, sitting down in the spot he had just occupied. "I was playing the piano, and he sat down not uttering a single word. I asked him why he was watching me and he replied 'I'm just enjoying the music, sweetheart,' No matter how poorly I played, he wouldn't budge!"

"I think he likes you," She retorted. _Am I seriously entertaining the idea that Lucius Malfoy could be her soulmate?_

"Well, I no longer like him. My pathetic crush is over," Jenny flicked her blonde hair over her shoulders, then looked at Harry. "What's wrong?"

He didn't reply, instead looked down the corridor in time to see Draco head into a room with the woman. _Bugger, I'm scared Harry's going to lash out and curse him_.

A tray of tea appeared. "You should drink some," Hermione said.

She watched him tap his fingers restlessly on his knee. "I don't want some tea."

His eyes moved to the bottle of firewhisky. "Harry!" She grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry OK. I was wrong about Draco, but please don't let this push you onto the wrong track again."

"He's in there shagging someone!" He shot to his feet and started to pace.

"Who is?" Jenny asked.

"Draco," Hermione replied. "Look at me, Harry," His teary eyes locked with hers. "I know you're angry, and you have every right to be upset about this-"

"Use this to your advantage," Jenny interjected. "Show him that you're better off without him."

 _What an excellent approach._ "Jenny's right."

A tear fell from his right eye, and she saw he was having an internal battle with himself. _I should march into that room and hex Draco into next week._

"After our talk this morning," He whimpered. "I thought that we might actually be connected; that he could possibly feel the same way about me too. I've been stupid to let this affect me for so long. He doesn't care about me..." He trailed off coming to sit next to Hermione.

"What a heartless bastard!" Jenny punctuated her exclamation with a stomp of her foot. She pulled her wand from her boot and stormed from the room.

"Jenny, wait!" Hermione shot to her feet and ran after her. She flung open the door with a flick of her wand and Hermione heard the woman scream. When she arrived inside, Draco was shirtless and gripping a bloody nose.

"What the hell, wench!" He yelled.

"Take your coins somewhere else. You've upset Harry which means you're no longer welcome here!" _Anyone would think Jenny was the Madam around here with that tone of voice_. Draco turned to look at Hermione, and his eyes widened slightly, then he swallowed hard.

It was against her nature to want to help Draco, but she still found herself retrieving her wand to mend his nose, and clean up the blood. He had the audacity to mutter 'thank you', which angered her more.

"I don't want your thanks..." She bit her bottom lip to stop her anger from turning into words. _I wish Severus were here._

"Get out of here Samantha!" Jenny snapped glaring down at Draco, and the woman fled the room.

"You read the book," Hermione said, getting Draco's attention. "I don't know how far ahead you read, but you know the truth. How can you not care about his feelings?" She managed to keep her voice at a low level.

Draco scoffed. "Oh please, that book of yours is full of nonsense."

"OK, how about I get your Godfather to come over and tell you that it isn't all twaddle. Will you believe me then?" She mimicked Jenny's stance, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What does Severus have to do with any of this?" He got to his feet, avoiding stepping close to Jenny.

"He has everything to do with this since he's my soulmate-"

Draco burst out laughing.

"You cheeky git!" Hermione lunged forwards but was stopped by Annette's hand on her back.

"Harry my boy!" She called out. "Would you come in here please."

Harry soon appeared reluctantly in the doorway.

Annette ushered him in and slammed the door shut with a wave of her hand. "I think it's about time we had a chat."


	10. Chapter 10

_AN:/ There is a lack of Severus in this chapter, but it's full of some juicy scenes...Snape will be back in the next chapter as it's time to get ready for DATE NIGHT. You'll just have to stick around to see how that night goes... ;)_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 10: Some Answers._**

The relaxed look on Annette's face unsettled Hermione, but she still moved to sit down on the bed. Draco sat down on the edge of it; making sure not to touch her, then put on his shirt. Jenny walked over to one of the wooden chairs, then Annette transfigured the bedside table into one for Harry to sit on.

"Do I have your attention?" They all nodded. _I left my notebook in the foyer. All of my questions_ , she groaned, and Draco gave her a funny look. "Good."

Annette stood tall and pushed her greying hair away from her face. There was an apologetic look in her eyes when she gazed at Jenny. _I wonder what that's about?_

"It appears that my plan didn't play out the way I thought it would," She said. "All of you have seen my grandmother's book about soulmates, am I right?" Again, they all nodded.

"Soulmates aren't real," Jenny muttered. "It's a myth."

"Well you best start believing in it since you have a soulmate," Annette's tone was firm. "Everything in that book is true."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Jenny exclaimed. "I don't have a soulmate."

"Yes you do, my dear," Annette smiled. "I know this because I've seen it for myself."

"You're a Seer?" Hermione gasped, and she nodded looking at Jenny.

"The day before you came to my brothel asking for work I saw you in a vision. It was of you and your intended soul. Therefore I knew I needed to take you into my care to watch over you because you wouldn't cross paths with your mate for many years. Letting you out of my sight wasn't an option."

"You made me sleep with men that I didn't like!" Jenny yelled. "Why would you do that?"

"Did I force you?" Annette raised a quizzing brow. "There was a reason for me saving you for special clients. In my vision all I saw was the blond hair of your mate, did you not notice the similarities between the men you were with?"

"They were all blond," Jenny grumbled.

 _Blond. Like Lucius Malfoy._ A similar thought seemed to dawn on Jenny, and she scrunched up her face. Hermione looked at Harry who was burning a hole into the floor, then at Draco, who focused on doing the same but to the wall.

"I thought that those men were your soulmate," Annette looked at her with shame in her eyes. "I'm terribly sorry, love. I didn't mean to cause you distress."

"Well you did," She hissed, not looking at her.

"OK, you're a Seer. Have you had any visions of us?" Hermione motioned to the two boys and herself. Annette nodded.

"A week after you started visiting I had a vision about you and Severus," She explained. "I knew I had to wait; he soon turned up one night with Lucius, but you two never crossed paths. So, I took it upon myself to do something about it."

"What did you do?" Harry asked, fiddling with his glasses.

"The first night you met - while he was downstairs and you upstairs - I decided to slip a love potion into your drinks," Hermione's eyes widened.

"I knew it!" She blurted out waving her hands around. "I knew something wasn't right about that night."

"You slipped her a love potion," Harry said in disbelief. "Why would you do something like that?"

"Would you have ever acted on your desires?" Annette retorted to Hermione who grudgingly shook her head. _She's right, we both would've ignored what we were feeling. However, it doesn't justify what she's done._ "I only did it once, love. After that, your souls recognised each other. I didn't need to do anything else."

"That book is authentic?" Jenny looked baffled. "I can't believe it..."

"The book was locked in a vault. My grandmother didn't want anyone to get their hands on it. However, when she perished in the fire the book was left to my mother, and it was passed onto me when she died. My abilities as a Seer have helped me prepare for the new wave of soulmates."

"Why didn't you just say something?" Jenny asked.

"I didn't have the book until last year my dear. Without the book, my words would be useless, and nobody would've believed me," Annette smiled. "I planted it on the bookshelf in the foyer for Hermione to find. I knew she was the best person to approach first about it."

"What else have you seen?" Hermione questioned.

"I've seen a few faces, some of them familiar. Jenny and her mystery soulmate, you and Severus, and..." She trailed off, casting her eyes upon Draco.

"Me?" He sneered, and she nodded. "You can't seriously believe what she's saying."

"I believe her," Harry said.

"Of course you would Potter," He snarled.

"Can you two not start an argument," Hermione scolded. "Now is not the time."

"He's not worth my time anyway," Draco muttered.

"My boy, I'm going to have to ask you to not talk to Harry in such a way," Annette's voice was soft. "He's your soulmate after all."

Draco laughed. "Please, I have no form of connection to Potter."

Hermione saw Harry flinch and she reached out to grab his hand, then turned to the blond git. "Tell me Draco, have you ever experienced a warm feeling around him? When you share dreams, do you resist the cravings you feel? Those dreams are reflections of your deepest desires. Therefore, there must be some connection between you and Harry."

"I bet it must be hard lusting after a man that's in love with a dead woman."

Hermione gasped, and Harry immediately lunged from the chair, grabbing onto the front of Draco's shirt. Hermione bit her bottom lip, _don't cry, don't cry_ , she repeated the chant in her mind.

"Are you going to hurt me, Potter?" He taunted. "I know you want to."

"No one is going to be hurting anyone," Annette interjected. "Harry let him go."

"You're a heartless git," Harry seethed through gritted teeth getting in Draco's face.

"It's not my fault that the truth hurts sometimes."

"Harry, release him," Hermione said, composing herself. "He's not worth it."

Banging on the door heightened the tension in the room. "Go away!" Annette shouted. "We're busy."

"Draco Malfoy get out here right now. We're leaving!" Lucius pounded on the door with his fist.

"I know this is hard for you, but you're going to have to let me go now Potter," He mocked, glaring up at Harry; he refused to release him.

"Maybe we should leave you two to talk," Annette suggested. "Come on ladies, let's entertain Lucius for awhile."

Hermione shook her head in protest, but Annette grabbed her arm. "They'll kill each other without supervision."

"I can assure you everything will be fine," The door opened, and Lucius narrowed his eyes at the sight of Harry and Draco. "Lucius come and join us in the foyer."

Annette grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the room. Hermione looked back at Harry who seemed content with glaring daggers at Draco.

"Hermione, come on," Jenny linked arms with her, and they shut the door behind them. _I hope Harry's OK._

...

Harry waited for the door to shut, then he pushed Draco away from him and sat down on one of the chairs. _Why does it have to be him? Why couldn't it be someone who wasn't a dick all the time?_

Draco scowled at him and straightened his shirt. "I don't appreciate being manhandled."

A sad look grew on Harry's face, and he regarded him with equally sad eyes. "Draco," The use of his name got his full attention. "This conversation can be over very quickly if you just answer something for me."

Draco's eyes moved over Harry's body, flinching when he caught his wandering eyes. "Go ahead, Potter."

"Do you feel anything towards me?" He asked, his voice catching on the last word. "If you don't then I'll stop. I won't look at you ever again, and Annette can help me find a way to sever our bond. Hermione should be able to think of a potion, so we don't share any more dreams together. I just need to know if you've ever felt anything for me?"

Draco's chest tightened along with his face. Harry ran his shaking fingers through his hair and pushed his glasses up his nose. He could feel his heart breaking in his chest, pounding vigorously for love and attention; something which he'll never get from Draco.

"Potter I can't..." He sat down on the bed. "I'm not gay."

"The only male I've found appealing is you Draco. You don't have to label these things if it makes it easier for you," Harry explained. "I've spent two long years trying to convince myself that I'm not gay, but I realised that there's no point. I don't find women attractive; I don't find men attractive, only you."

Draco's long hair covered his eyes, concealing a faint blush on his cheeks. "You make it sound simple."

"That's because it is, only you know how you feel," He said. "Just tell me the truth."

"I don't have to admit anything to you," He grumbled, messing with his sleeves.

"Tell me!" Harry snapped losing his temper. He got to his feet and stalked over, causing Draco to do the same. They met in the middle glowering at each other. "Look at me and tell me if you ever felt anything towards me in our dreams. That the time when we...when we made love in front of the fire, that you didn't feel anything. I don't understand how you couldn't have felt something."

"Those dreams weren't real," He whispered, leaning closer to his face. "None of it was true."

"Why are you avoiding the question?" Harry's hands curled into fists, resisting the urge to touch him.

"I don't like you, Potter."

Draco's words sliced through Harry's heart and he blinked back his tears. He clenched his jaw, and his whole body went rigid. _I knew he could never like me._ However, the far away look in Draco's eyes made him furrow his brows.

"I'm engaged, Harry."

"W-What," He stammered.

"My mother has been organising a marriage of convenience for me," Draco's voice was raspy. "I'm to marry her next week."

"Oh..." He whispered.

"Everything was fine until you turned up again," He muttered. "I had things under control."

"How is this my fault?" Harry snapped.

"I had it under control!" He yelled in his face. "But you buggered it all up."

"What did I do exactly?" Harry moved his eyes along Draco's face, observing all the features that he loved. A burning heat ignited within the depths of his stomach, and it took all his willpower not to close the gap between them.

Draco became flustered. "I...I don't like you."

Harry leant in close. "Do you want to know what I think?" Draco blinked in response. "I believe you do like me, but you're too scared to admit it."

Their noses were almost touching; lips were whispers apart. "Don't flatter yourself..." He hissed, yet inhaled sharply at the feel of Harry's breath on his mouth. "Potter, stop."

"I need you," Harry whispered roughly, his voice straining from the emotions inside of him.

"I don't..." He hesitated, watching Harry's lips move closer to his. He stopped a mere millimetre away, then caught his chin between his fingers. "I-" The movement of Draco's mouth caused their lips to brush.

Harry pulled back a little so he could look into his eyes. He was searching for something - anything - that showed how he truly felt right now. Draco's rigid facade crumbled; various emotions flooded onto his face, and his eyes displayed his genuine pain.

"Harry-" He got cut off again, but this time it was by Harry crashing his lips against his in a passionate kiss. Draco brought his hands up to curl around the front of his shirt with the intent to push him away, but something in him faltered.

Harry reached up to cup his cheek and prodded his tongue against Draco's closed mouth. He soon gained entrance and deepened the kiss. His mind was exploding with joy and pure need. He couldn't believe this was happening in real life.

Something in Draco snapped, and he immediately pushed Harry's hand from his face to move his own into Harry's hair. They awkwardly stumbled backwards until they fell onto the bed with him on top of Harry.

When in their dreams it had always been Harry in control, but the feel of Draco pinning him to the bed was one he'd happily take to the grave. Their lips continued to move together in harmony, and Harry couldn't fight the moan from erupting in his throat. This is so much better than our dreams.

Draco tore his mouth away with a growl but kept their lips close. His lips mirrored Harry's; red and raw. However, their eyes reflected pleasure and pain. It was hard to tell whether or not Draco was about to start shouting at him again and telling him that he didn't feel the same way.

 _I don't think I could bear that happening right now._

He moved his right hand from his hair to brush his thumb along Harry's lips. He gasped beneath his touch and swallowed hard.

...

"Would somebody tell me what's going on?" A slightly drunk Lucius grumbled as he sat down on the sofa.

"I'm afraid your son and Harry have had an argument. It's something they need to resolve," Annette explained.

"My son doesn't need to involve himself with that boy," He placed his cane at his feet, savouring a quick glance in Jenny's direction.

 _I can't wait until he finds out that Draco and Harry are soulmates,_ Hermione thought, _and that he is Jenny's_. It was a long shot, but one she was certain of. Annette had said that Jenny's soulmate had blond hair, which was similar to Lucius', and there were clear signs of a connection between them.

 _I cannot believe Annette slipped Severus and I a love potion. Merlin, he's going to be angry when I tell him. What if he doubts my attraction towards him._ Her eyes widened at the thought.

"What's wrong?" Jenny asked.

"Nothing," She shook the thought from her head. _I shouldn't get ahead of myself._ "It's just a lot to take in."

Jenny nodded. "I agree," Her eyes moved to Lucius on the sofa. "You don't think..." She trailed off.

"He could be," She whispered back. "What do you feel when you look at him?"

"A disdain because I want him so badly," Lucius turned his head in their direction causing Jenny to blush.

"Hermione do you have the book with you?" Annette asked, and she grabbed the bag from the floor, then pulled it out.

"Here," She extended her arm, and Annette swiped it away, then tossed it onto Lucius' lap.

"Ouch, woman!" He snapped. "What is this tripe?"

"Open it and find out. You can rummage through my memories afterwards if you do not believe its contents," Annette walked over to the tray of tea and handed one to Hermione.

"Thank you," She whispered, looking at a tense Jenny. "Don't worry about it."

"It could be a different blond haired man that I find irresistible..." They all watched Lucius open the book through cautious eyes. Hermione heard a shout from down the corridor and realised it was coming from the room Harry was in. She went to stand up, but Annette placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head.

"They need to have it out, love. We both know they're hotheaded people, shouting is the only way to get things off their chests," She explained. "He'll be OK."

"Hm..." She hummed casting one last look down the corridor. Hermione still had a lot of questions for Annette, but for now, she understood the basics. _I miss Severus...would he oppose to me sending him a letter? The worst thing he could do is not reply or respond telling me not to contact him. Why am I overthinking this?_

Jenny grabbed her wrist, and she looked over at Lucius. His knuckles whitened from his death grip on the book, his eyes narrowed, and his mouth rested in a tight line. They watched on as he turned his head to look at them, and he curled his lips at Jenny.

"Are you a pureblood?" He sneered resembling his son.

A sad smile grew on Jenny's face, and she adjusted her skirt as she crossed one leg over the other and relaxed into the sofa. "What's the word used to describe me?" She tapped her finger against her chin playing dumb. "Oh, that's right! Silly me, how could I forget! I believe I'm known as a _Mudblood_."

Lucius looked at her with disgust, then tossed the book to the floor and fled down the corridor just as Draco and Harry stepped out of the room. "We're leaving now!"

Hermione watched as the two Malfoy's disappeared down the corridor, and Draco cast a sullen look over his shoulder before they were out of sight.

She felt her heart break for Jenny; who was staring blankly at the floor.

"Jenny-"

"I'm feeling the unconditional love," She muttered sarcastically. "Annette, I thank you for stringing me along for many years, but I've had enough."

"Enough? What do you mean?" Annette reached over to place her hand on Jenny's shoulder, but she shook it off.

"Since I don't get paid by men frequently, I've been saving up the wages you've provided me with. It will be sufficient to sustain me for awhile until I get a reasonable job."

"You can't leave!" Annette exclaimed, and Hermione recoiled from seeing the tears in her eyes. _It's like seeing your grandmother cry. It makes me want to cry._

Jenny got to her feet and straightened the front of her skirt.

"Please don't leave," Hermione stood up. "We can sort this out."

She shook her head. "It's about time I left this place."

"My dear, please-" Jenny cut Annette off with a seething look.

"I'm going to pack my things," She stormed out of the foyer, and Annette chased after her.

"W-What happened?" Harry stammered, his cheeks a light pink shade. "Is this because Madam Annette made her sleep with those men?"

Hermione shrugged. "Lucius showed his true colours about blood lines."

"Oh," Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't know Jenny was a Muggle witch."

"Neither did I," She stepped up next to him and smiled slightly. "What happened in that room?"

"We argued," He said quickly. "That's all."

"Did you fight with your mouths together?" She laughed. "Harry, you might want to check your hair," Hermione pointed at his tousled locks.

"Oh!" His hands flew to his hair, and he began to flatten it down.

"What did you talk about before you kissed?" She led him over to the sofa.

"He's engaged," Her eyes widened. "The wedding's next week."

"What?" She grabbed his hand. "Are you all right?"

He shook his head. "We didn't sort things out...our argument got heated that's all."

"At least he didn't push you away this time," She whispered. "That's something."

"Maybe," He muttered.

"Shall we head home?" She asked, gathering up her bag and retrieving the discarded book. "You can help me compose a letter to Severus."


	11. Chapter 11

_AN:/ Hello! Thank you to those who favourited and followed. And a MASSIVE thank you to **RhodaBush, Nastytashy, riaroo400, purplehedgehog13, Smithback, Arendora, cbrendible,** **CrazySlytherin,** and **FrancineHibiscus** for reviewing, much love to you and this very 'M' *cough* rated chapter is dedicated to you! I'm sure that none of you thought date night would go this way..._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11: Rejection.**_

Hermione wore an empty look on her face as she sat staring out of her bedroom window. The desk before her had pieces of paper scattered about with incomplete sentences. When they'd returned from the whorehouse last night, she'd sat down with Harry to write a letter; as expected, nothing came out right, and she gave up close to midnight.

However, that wasn't why there was a dead look in her eyes. A dream had fallen upon her after stressing over writing Snape a letter, only for the dream to not be of him. _That's not supposed to happen._

Her dream had been an ordinary one; a lot of random things happened, and she saw some familiar faces. But no Severus. When she'd awoken at four o'clock this morning, it had occurred to her that their soulmate bond meant nothing.

 _Just because our souls are connected is not to say that I know him. The only personal things I know about Severus is his love for Lily Evans_ , and it was tearing her up inside.

The moment the thought entered her mind, she felt her heart hit the floor, and her body became a dead weight. Hermione hadn't even felt this bad when she caught Ron cheating on her.

 _Perhaps Severus found a way to disconnect our dreams_. She was only assuming from observations, but Snape was a closed off man. He didn't seem like the type to openly give affection or talk about past loves, and feelings. However, the one feeling she did know about was the way he reacted to Lily's name. The way his face tensed as sadness and love entered his eyes; like nothing else in the world mattered but her.

Hermione couldn't explain the airy feeling in her heart; she felt sick. Thinking clearly, it must be down to the bond, a natural reaction to a mate's past flame. Although, Lily was never a flame; he'd been devoted to her without them even being together romantically.

Everything was happening too fast. _Do I even care about Severus? Am I only experiencing lust?_ Her jumbled mind didn't show on her face, and she continued to watch the foggy morning come to life.

She didn't know how to approach the subject with him. _I don't think I could ever bring it up because I already know what his reaction is going to be. I'm not Lily._

 _I can't go on a date with him. It's only going to lead to more heartbreak for me_. It was selfish of Hermione to assume that Snape wouldn't be affected, but more than likely, it wouldn't dampen his mood.

 _Merlin, I feel like my heart has been ripped out. I hate this bond; I shouldn't be feeling like this about a man like Severus, nor so quickly._ Draco's words from last night kept ringing throughout her head. _Who knew the git was right, Severus is in love with a dead woman - may she rest in peace - and I can't compete with somebody beyond the grave._

She felt the urge to hit something or drink a whole bottle of firewhisky; even though she'd never touched a drop of alcohol in her life. _I wonder if this is how Harry feels? Alcohol eased his heartache._ She rose to her feet and stretched her aching back.

Hermione summoned one of the bottles of firewhisky that she'd hidden from Harry, and stared down at the label. _A drop couldn't hurt_.

This wasn't like her. She could get to her lowest point at times but never break her moral codes. _It's the stupid connection_. She clenched her jaw, no longer feeling like Hermione anymore. _I'll have a drink and a walk._

Hermione quickly changed into some different clothes, opting for a pair of jeans and a tight, long sleeved top.

After that, she walked from her bedroom door pouring the amber liquid down her throat and disappearing out of Grimmauld Place.

She managed to apparate safely in her disorientated state and appeared in front of The Three Broomsticks. Her eyes continued their dullness as she stared up at the sign. She took a quick sip of her drink, then walked inside before anybody saw her.

 _Isn't there a Hogsmeade trip this weekend?_ The thought didn't bother her much, and she dragged herself to a booth. There was an empty whisky glass on the table, so she grabbed it and poured herself some more of the amber liquid.

 _I wonder what my parents would think of me now,_ she pondered, tilting her head back as she swallowed the liquor. _Their disappointment of a daughter was drinking in the day time, and delirious. I don't think they'd care._

She glanced down at her left forearm, pulled back the sleeve, and removed the glamour charm that concealed her scar. She brushed her fingers along the raised letters and shifted her head to the side. _I'm just a filthy Mudblood._

Hermione hadn't felt this depressed in a long time. She'd reacted badly to her parents disowning her, but instead of drinking, she'd sought company from her friends and cried herself to sleep for a week.

 _Why does my heart hurt so much?_ She glanced down at her heaving chest. There was a comforting voice in her mind somewhere, telling her that she was overreacting, but she couldn't gain control of it. She wasn't thinking straight anymore.

The firewhisky continued to refill her glass and the painful liquid burnt her throat. She ran her tongue along her dry lips and rested her head on the table.

...

Harry's legs bounced under the table while he tugged at his dark hair. He looked around the kitchen, then moved his fingers to his mouth so he could chew on them anxiously. _Where has she gone?_

He'd awoken to find Hermione was no longer in the house, she never left without telling him before, and he was beyond worried. _Perhaps she apparated to Snape again._ He shook his head; _something doesn't seem right.._.

He'd gone looking out on the streets for six hours, and he still couldn't find her. _What if she's hurt?_ Harry shot to his feet and paced the length of the kitchen. _She'll be back because she's going on a date with Snape tonight._

 _She'll be back..._

An idea struck him. _Maybe I should send a letter to Snape and ask him if she's with him._ He nodded his head and raced into the living room to grab a quill and some paper. The message didn't take long to write, and he walked out into the back garden to attach it to their owl. He watched it fly away. _OK, perhaps that was a bad idea,_ Harry cringed.

 _If she's there, I'm going to yell at her for making me worried_. Harry knew she'd gone to bed frustrated because she couldn't compose a perfect letter to Snape, but it was an everyday Hermione thing to get frustrated about. It wouldn't cause her to run off - if she has run off.

Harry stayed in the garden for a while, hoping to hear the sound of her apparating back home, but the noise never came. He swallowed the lump in the back of his throat, then returned inside to continue pacing the length of the kitchen.

 _What could've made her take off like this? Is it because of what Draco said to her last night about my mum,_ he pondered on the thought. _It might be that._

...

Severus watched over the students as they went inside the castle after visiting Hogsmeade, with a heavy heart. _Something's wrong._ He felt more on edge than usual, and he hadn't felt this tense since the war.

His face didn't portray his worry, and he continued to scowl at anyone who looked at him. He'd been with Remus Lupin on the trip; he was staying behind to meet his wife for a while, then he would return to pester Severus to death.

He regularly asked him questions like, " _You aren't scowling much anymore?", "Did you almost smile?", "Have you finally met someone who can put up with you menstrual persona?"._ The list went on and on, but he never rose to the bait. He wasn't telling Lupin anything about what he did on the weekends.

He didn't want to share Hermione with anyone.

Severus had never felt this possessive over Lily - he'd been more protective of himself because of the way she was treating him - never in his life had he wanted to hide someone away just so nobody else could look at her.

 _I shouldn't feel this way about her. It's too soon_.

"Ah, Severus!" Minerva McGonagall weaved her way through the crowd of students and stood before him.

"Minerva," He nodded.

"I have a question I would like to ask," She smirked. _What does she want now?_ "The wards detected an unauthorised visitor to your quarters early on Saturday morning...I hope you aren't bringing Lucius back with you."

His jaw tightened. It's not like he was going to tell Minerva that it was the Gryffindor Golden Girl who graced him with her presence. The little chit had offered to help him with his throbbing erection. He struggled to push the dream from his mind, but it somehow squeezed its way towards the forefront of his brain to curse him with a constant replay.

"Lucius was expressing his worries about Draco's upcoming marriage," He explained. "I sent him home immediately."

"Mhm," She hummed, looking at him funny. "Are you meeting Draco today?"

"He should be here within the next hour," His silky drawl did nothing to convince Minerva. _She knows I'm lying about Lucius._

"Should I be worried about how often you disappear on the weekend?" She enquired. "You aren't visiting places of taboo?"

He folded his arms over his chest. "I don't believe my personal affairs are any of your business."

She narrowed her eyes. "You're lying to me about something."

"Minerva I am free to do as I wish-"

"Are you sleeping with prostitutes?"

He rolled his eyes. "For Merlin's sake woman, no I'm not!"

"There was a woman in your room on Saturday morning; the wards informed me of her gender."

"Oh, so because a woman is in my quarters you assume that I must be paying her to be there?" He growled.

"I didn't mean it like that!" She exclaimed.

"Of course not," He grumbled. "Goodbye Minerva, I have things to attend to."

Severus returned to his quarters quickly and waited half an hour until Draco knocked on his door. "Come in," He snarled vanishing the essays he was marking.

His godson walked in slowly and took the seat opposite him. Apparently, it was Severus' job to convince Draco not to go ahead with the arranged marriage, but he didn't think he needed that much persuasion not to do so. _If Hermione's right and Potter is his mate, then it should be easy to guilt trip him into not going through with it._

Draco looked around the room with a bewildered look on his face; then he straightened his back in the chair. "You should know that-"

"I have something I need to talk to you about first," He interrupted with a scowl.

"No, Severus I think you should-"

He waved his hand to silence him. "You're to be married on Friday," Severus regarded him with disapproving eyes. "Your father is against the engagement and believes you can do better than following in his footsteps."

"Severus listen to me, I was walking through Hogsmeade, and I saw-"

"Here me out first. I need the conversation to be over quickly because I have somewhere to be this afternoon," Severus linked his fingers together and leant forward a little.

"With Hermione?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

He visibly tensed. "That isn't any of your business."

"Well, I don't think she's in the right state of mind to be meeting up with you," He explained, swallowing hard.

"Excuse me?" Severus growled.

"As I said, I went to Hogsmeade, and I saw Hermione on her own in The Three Broomsticks. Drunk."

"Hermione doesn't drink," He winced not meaning to say it out loud.

"Well, she's pissed. I walked in, and she looked ready to kill me, but she couldn't even stand up to come to me," Draco fiddled with the sleeve of his jacket.

 _That doesn't sound like Hermione_. It dawned on him that she might be regretting their date tonight, but another thought struck him, _something must've happened._

Last night, he hadn't dreamt of her and experienced a nightmare - he hadn't had one since he'd seen her for the first time in the brothel. Severus woke up feeling exhausted and dissatisfied. _I knew something wasn't right._

"What happened last night?" He asked, and Draco blushed.

"We talked to Annette, and I...oh bugger," He shot to his feet and started to pace. "It may be my fault."

"Draco?" He growled.

"I said some things to her which might have made her feel like shit," He whispered, chewing on the side of his thumb. "I-I was angry, and stuck in a room with Potter-"

"What the hell did you say?" He snapped.

"Erm..." He became fascinated with his shoes. "I said that it must be hard lusting after a man that's in love with a dead woman..."

Severus flinched.

...

 _"Raindrops on roses. And whiskers on kittens...bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens...something with string... these are a few of my favourite things.."_ Hermione threw her head back laughing as she skipped down the deserted street. It was getting dark now, _didn't I leave in the morning?_

 _Oh, how drunk am I?_

She glanced at the sip of firewhisky she had left. _I didn't think I'd last after a few sips._

"I am n-not a lightweight," She held up her arms to clench her small arm muscles. "I'm macho."

Her handling the alcohol may have been down to her stopping occasionally; she would alternate between drinking until she felt tipsy then waited till she was sane only to proceed drinking again. It was a good tactic.

"I'm still standing..." She scrunched up her face in confusion. "Nope, apparently I'm crawling," Hermione continued to crawl along the dusty ground giggling, leaving the bottle of firewhisky behind. "I should g-get drunk more often...I'm fun..."

Her head collided with a bony shin. "Watch it," She gurgled, covering her forehead with her hand. Hermione sat back on her ankles to look up at the angry face of Severus Snape. "Good evening," She resumed her journey on her hands and knees, but a strong arm laced around her waist pulling her up onto unsteady feet.

"Hermione!" His voice boomed down the empty street, and she was turned roughly in his hold, so she was pressed against his front. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Letting loooooose," She puckered her lips and blinked a few times.

"Since four o'clock this morning!?" He snapped, face tight in fury. She hadn't ever seen him this pissed off before. He would've made her feel scared had she not been drunk. However, Hermione's boggled mind didn't catch on that she shouldn't aggravate him more.

"You should let loooose," She chuckled reaching out to straighten his collar, but he locked his hands onto her wrists. Her heart suddenly shattered causing her bottom lip to shake. "You rejected me!" She spat, violently pulling herself away from him and stumbling backwards. "This is h-how Harry felt when Draco refused him! Get away from me!"

"Hermione," He grabbed her by the elbow to pull her back towards him. "Please enlighten me on how I rejected you."

She shook her head frantically. "You'll be very angry..." She tried to walk backwards, but his hold on her caused him to follow. "Too fast..." She hiccuped. "I like you a lot...but it's happening too q-quickly...Lily..." She waited for him to flinch.

He didn't.

"Sit down, Hermione," He led her over to a wall, which she slid down and he crouched in front of her. "I do not wish to have this conversation with you while you're intoxicated."

"I'm not intoxilated..."

"Intoxicated."

"That's what I said," She rolled her eyes, and it made her feel dizzy. "Everything's spinning."

He pulled a phial out of his pocket. "Open up," Hermione parted her lips slightly, meaning Snape had to touch her chin to get her mouth wider, then he poured the sticky substance down her throat.

"Urghh," She groaned. "W-What is that?"

"You should fall asleep soon and wake up in a couple of hours, sober," He explained.

"I was having fun," She whined. "Killjoy..." Hermione's eyes fluttered closed, and she landed against a solid chest.

...

 _"Get out of my quarters, Potter."_

 _"She's going to wake up upset, and I know how she's feeling. Let me take her home-"_

 _"She has nothing to be upset about! Now leave!"_

 _"You rejected her!"_

 _"I did no such thing! I'm giving you five seconds to leave!"_

 _"Fine...just tell her I was here, and that I'll be waiting for her at home."_

 _"It's three o'clock in the morning, Potter. She won't be up for at least another six."_

 _"I'll still be waiting-"_

 _"Get out!"_

Hermione's eyes flew open, and she stared up at a bland ceiling. A familiar ceiling. She slowly sat up with a pounding headache and flinched away from the light filtering through the open door.

 _I'm in Severus' bedroom._ The thought didn't startle her, but the memories of her drunken escapades did.

"Buggering hell..." She grumbled covering her face with her hands. _I have no idea what came over me. One second I was fine, then the next I was extremely depressed._

 _I was meant to go on a date with Severus. I've ruined everything._ A sob escaped her lips, and she wiped away her sudden tears. _It was a selfish thing for me to do._

The door opened, and Snape filled the doorway. She looked at him with teary eyes and held her breath.

"You shouldn't be awake," He grunted.

"I'm sorry," She whimpered. "I'm truly sorry; I don't know what came over me."

He stalked over to the bed and retrieved a potion from the bedside table, then sat down on the edge of the mattress. He held it out for Hermione to take and she reached out her shaking hands.

"For your headache," He said, and she quickly swallowed the substance.

"Thank you," Her voice wavered, and she brought her knees up to her chest.

"What happened?"

She pushed some of her hair away from her face. "I woke up feeling empty inside. I didn't feel like I was in control anymore; the only thing I could feel was the pain in my heart. None of my thought processes were logical, and before I could gain control, I was walking out of the house drinking firewhisky to ease the pain."

"I understand that part, Hermione," His silky voice drawled, and she bit down on her bottom lip. "However, I cannot comprehend why you thought I'd rejected you."

She shivered. "I...A lot of things happened on Saturday evening. Draco said something to me, and I don't think the force of what he'd said hit me until I got home."

"I'm aware of what he said to you," He muttered, and she buried her face into her knees. She could hear him breathing heavily. "Hermione, do I seem like the type of person to be around someone I don't like, willingly?"

She shook her head, refusing to look at him.

"If I didn't want you in my presence I would've told you to leave," Snape shifted slightly. "I realise that this seems to be moving rather quickly and that the only explanation is the bond our souls share."

"I suppose so," She whispered. "I've ruined everything."

He growled. "You haven't ruined anything, Hermione. Stop being ludicrous and look at me."

Hermione curled her fingers around the bedsheet and lifted her head to look into his dark eyes.

"Potter brought me the book, and I read another chapter. Severe depression is a common after effect when the soul feels rejection has occurred. You somehow managed to convince yourself that I had done so. However, I haven't."

"We bearly know each other," She muttered. "I feel like I'm at war with my rational side and my desires."

"I'd say you know a lot more than you think," There was an odd look in his eyes. "What's my favourite colour, Miss Granger?"

"Black. Not green as others would suspect, as I see no sign of any green in your quarters."

"How old am I?"

"You were born on the 9th January 1960, making you forty-two years old."

"Where was I born?"

"Spinner's End."

"What was my childhood like?"

"Rough. You had problems with your father and a troubled relationship with your mother. Hounded by the Marauders, then you took the Dark Mark when you left Hogwarts."

"What do you know about Lily Evans?"

"You love her. She went to Potter and refused to forgive you for calling her a-" The word hitched in the back of her throat and she looked down at her covered arm. _He doesn't know about it._

"Carry on," He hissed through gritted teeth, but she didn't look away from her arm. "What is it?" Hermione pulled back the sleeve covering her left forearm then held it up for him to see.

His eyes settled on the letters, but his face gave nothing away. _Passive as always_. However, Hermione saw him swallow hard; then his eyes returned to hers.

"Bellatrix spent some of her time torturing me at Malfoy Manor," She explained. "I usually keep it covered; only the people who were there know about it."

Snape's cold hand wrapped around her wrist and he used his other one to brush his fingers along the scar. Her lips tightened as she watched him caress the harrowing word.

"After the incident with Lily, you focused on becoming a Death Eater, and when there was no sign of Lily ever forgiving you for what happened, you became one of the Dark Lords followers. Then, there were the events which consequently led to her death, and you believe it is your fault, which it isn't. Wormtail betrayed them."

"See, you know a lot more than you think," He whispered huskily, not taking his fingers away from her scar. "However, some of your information is wrong about Lily."

"Oh..." She gasped as a shiver quivered beneath his touch, and he leant down to press a kiss to her scar. A moan fell from her lips, and he looked up at her through his dark lashes.

"I loved her," He said keeping his mouth close to her forearm. "Now, all I carry is guilt for what I did, but Lily wasn't innocent. I soon realised I only loved her as a friend, and my reason for being devoted to her was because she was my _only_ friend. Our friendship was easy for her to forget, whereas I struggled because she'd left me on my own. Forgotten me to go with the boy who harassed me."

Snape pressed another kiss to her arm, and her heart felt like it was about to explode. She could feel the magical bond wrapping around her heart, urging her to get closer to him. Pain creased his brows, and she knew that his past played a big part in his life. _He needs someone to teach him how to let it all go_.

Hermione reached out and brushed some of his black hair away from his eyes, and he gave her a fiery look.

"I'm sorry that I ruined our date," She said with a sad smile.

"Come with me," He muttered, pulling back the bedsheet and holding out his hand for her to take.

Hermione realised that she was wearing a different top - Severus' to be exact - the crisp white shirt stopped at her mid-thigh and settled against her blue jeans. She placed her hand in his and followed him out of the bedroom.

The fire filled the room with heat, and a sofa faced it; she was pleased to see a lot of books on shelves. He led her through another door and into the kitchen - a beautiful smell invaded her senses.

Two plates full with food lay on an old table in the middle of the room. A few candles illuminated the room creating a relaxing mood. Hermione beamed at the sight and tightened her hold on his hand.

"I guess you haven't eaten since Saturday," She confirmed his statement with a nod and released his hand to take a seat.

"This smells delicious," She practically drooled over the food but hesitated to tuck in.

"Eat, Hermione," She didn't need to be told twice.

The food was scrumptious, and she didn't seem to care about her ill manners. Her stomach was full of liquid, so the solids eased her unsettled belly. Hermione could feel Snape's eyes on her, and she flashed him an awkward smile.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologising; it's very Gryffindor of you," There was a sly smirk on his face, and she swallowed some food.

"How did you find me?" She asked, taking a sip of some water.

"My godson saw you in the Three Broomsticks," He explained. "He said you looked ready to kill him, but you could hardly stand."

"Your godson is a git," She muttered. "If you don't mind me saying."

"He is what he is," He replied. "However, he has his reasons."

"Harry told me that Draco's getting married," She pushed some of her food around her plate. "When?"

"Friday," Snape sighed finally eating some of his food. "Lucius doesn't want him to go through with it."

"I would've thought he was the one making him do it," She admitted.

"Malfoy doesn't want his son making the same mistakes he did," He took a sip of his drink. "But, Draco wishes to keep his mother happy."

"If he's going through with it, I wish he hadn't given Harry hope."

"Hope?" He questioned.

"On Saturday, they argued, and things got heated between them, and they kissed. They're soulmates after all, but Draco seems set on ignoring that fact," She looked at him sadly. "Annette's a Seer."

Snape raised a brow urging her to continue.

"Her grandmother wrote the book, and it was passed down to her. She saw visions of many different soulmates and believes her purpose is to help unite the pairs. Annette saw you and I, Harry and Draco, Jenny and a mysterious blond man - I assume that man is Lucius."

"Lucius?" He reflected. "I do remember him giving her odd looks."

"She told me that she had strong feelings for him, but they were annoying her a lot. However, Lucius showed his true colours on Saturday. He politely called her a whore, and disregarded her because she isn't a pureblood."

"Of course," Hermione saw that he didn't look surprised; _it's sad that Lucius can't change his views in the post-war world._

"He has missed his chance of a newfound happiness," Hermione sighed. "Jenny's left the whorehouse, and will probably never return. She's a very stubborn woman, so Lucius won't stand a chance at finding her, or persuading her if he ever wanted to seal their bond. I don't think they've gotten to the point where they share dreams."

He grunted in response.

The sound of someone flooing into the other room made Snape's eyes widen slightly.

"Severus Snape, what did I tell you about unauthorised visitors-Oh! Miss Granger?" Both of them turned to stare at Minerva McGonagall. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Her eyes landed on Snape's shirt. _Oh crap._

"As I said, Minerva, I'm not bringing whores back to my quarters," He snarled. _I'm not sure whether that's a compliment?_ "If you don't mind, I'm a bit busy."

"You haven't answered my question, Miss Granger," Minerva pushed, and Hermione got to her feet and walked around the table to stand next to Snape's chair.

"We're reminiscing about old times, Headmistress."

"I wasn't aware that you two were close enough to do such a thing. Especially this early in the morning," She raised an old brow, not believing the lie Hermione had spewed.

"Granger and I have reconciled recently," Snape drawled. His voice is incredibly sexy, heat filled her core, and she awkwardly shifted on the spot. Snape's burning eyes landed on her as he got to his feet. "You can leave now."

"Why is she wearing your shirt?" Minerva questioned.

"Because Minerva, we've engaged in strenuous activities since midnight, so she's wearing my top to cover up while we refuel and continue our vigorous exercises."

Both of the women gasped at his sarcasm. Hermione had to sit on the table so she could cross her legs to ease her throbbing heat. Minerva looked at them both, mortified, her mouth opening and closing.

"If you wouldn't mind leaving," He pointed his finger at the door.

"We will be having a serious conversation later on," She said before she fled his quarters.

"You didn't have to embarrass her," Hermione breathed out, feeling her cheeks redden.

Snape turned to look at her through dark eyes, and he took in the sight of her flustered on his kitchen table. Hermione felt her heart thump loudly inside her chest, and her lips parted as she looked up at him.

"We should finish eating," He said, not moving.

"Mhm," She let her eyes sweep over his body. "Or we could-"

Snape moved forward crashing his lips against hers. She moaned, instantly holding onto his shirt. He buried his fingers into her wild hair, tilting her head back to try a different angle as he pushed his tongue into her mouth.

Her whole body ached for him, and when he settled between her legs, she felt the hardness of his erection. However, it didn't ease her desire for him. She wanted him to take her right here on the table, hard and fast.

Snape didn't waste any time using a charm and opted to rip open her clad torso sending buttons flying everywhere. He pulled the shirt down her arms and tossed it to the side.

Hermione pressed her chest against his and began to untuck his shirt from his trousers. She wasn't about to attempt to rip his open because she didn't have the strength nor the steady hands as she was trembling with anticipation.

He tugged on her hair, forcing her to dip her head to the side so he could kiss the side of her neck. He nipped at her sensitive skin just as she undid some of his buttons.

Snape's growl vibrate in the curve of her neck, and his hands latched onto her thighs, and she was lifted up into his arms. She locked her legs around his waist, returning to kissing his mouth ferociously.

She was glad he'd chosen to carry her because she wasn't sure her jelly legs would last the journey from the kitchen to his bedroom. The door slammed shut behind them, and he lowered her down onto the bed.

Hermione moaned and panted as he kissed a hot trail from her mouth down to the valley of her breasts. Impatiently, she quickly reached around to unclasp her bra then threw it over his shoulder.

A gruff chuckle came from his mouth, vibrating her blazing skin. He finally lowered his mouth to her puckered nipple, then used his hand to knead the other.

She arched herself into his mouth biting down on her bottom lip while he swirled his tongue around her yearning nipple. Hermione buried her hands into his hair as he moved his attention away from her breasts and down to her trousers.

He popped open the button and swiftly pulled them down her long legs so they could join her bra on the floor. His mouth flew to her inner thigh, kissing and sucking his way closer to her burning heat.

Hermione blew some of her hair away from her face, looking down at him through hazy eyes. She felt his breath against her knickers; she was somewhat self-conscious about how wet she was for him.

He waved his hand, and her clad core was no more. She stilled for a second as he looked up at her through sated eyes, then a sexy smirk appeared on his lips just before he plunged his mouth into her drenched centre.

Hermione's toes curled, and she threw her head back. Her body flooded with an intense feeling, causing parts of her to twist and tighten in prospect. His silky hair brushed against her thighs sending infinite bolts of pleasure through her veins; then he licked a path up to her swollen clit.

She panted for air as she felt herself riding closer to the edge. Snape swirled his tongue around her nub and slipped a finger inside of her. She tried to force something out of her mouth, but she ended up purring with need.

Another finger slid inside, and he didn't move his tongue away from her sensitive clit. She suddenly felt her climax approaching, and she arched off the bed, holding on tight to the bedsheets, then cried out his name as her pleasure made her eyes roll back. "Severus!" She wept, but he continued to lap at her bud until her inner walls clamped down on his fingers, coating them with her rapture.

He tenderly removed his fingers from her core, then dotted wet kisses up her flushed body. Snape towered over her, pressing her naked body against his clothed one. Lust clouded his eyes, but there was something else, admiration, trust, likeness, _love?_

"You're wearing far too many clothes..." She panted.

"I believe I undressed you?" He quirked his brow, and with a huff, she hooked her leg around his waist and flipped him onto his back so she could straddle his hips.

 _Merlin, this wasn't anything like being with Ron_. He hadn't taken the time to bring her pleasure, just focused on going in and out while she lay there unsatisfied. She'd been self-conscious of her body, and nothing he said eased her worries. However, Snape was reducing her anxiety just by looking at her.

He inhaled sharply, observing her naked form on him. She quickly leant down, and her hair shielded their faces. Hermione placed a soft kiss to his lips and began to unbutton his shirt.

She kissed him along the jawline with the intention to kiss his neck, but her eyes landed on the bite mark. It hadn't been there before, and she realised that he must've been covering it with a glamour. Hermione smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his scar.

Snape went rigid for a second, but the tension left his body when she kissed around it and continued to move her lips down his body. Every time she unclasped a button she placed a kiss on his flat chest, and he was soon left open for her to see.

Hermione stroked her hands up his chest and gazed down at him contently. Something flashed in his eyes, and he moved his hands up the sides of her thighs.

She reached behind her to undo his belt, and she soon found his boxers exposed to her wandering hands. Hermione didn't break eye contact with him, not caring that her wet heat was touching his bare skin.

She nudged his boxers down a little, slipping her tiny hand inside so she could grab his silky shaft. Her grip tightened around him, and he twitched beneath her touch. She raised her brow as if to challenge him, and he growled loudly in response.

Quickly, Snape tore her hand away from its adventure and flipped her back onto the mattress with her hands pinned above her head. Snape's clothes were completely gone, and she gazed down at his throbbing member. _Oh, Merlin..._

She glanced at him with wide eyes, fuelling his ego. "You don't have to look so scared Granger."

"I'm not scared," She said with no assertion whatsoever, and he lowered his mouth to hers, hovering over her red lips.

"You're so _fuckin'_ beautiful."

She gasped, and he smashed his lips against hers. Their bodies moulded together, and she felt him press on her entrance. This was it; it was going to happen. Hermione couldn't stop the smile from growing on her face. He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

She spread her legs a little, creating a more secure fit for his hips, then looked at him blissfully. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then moved his hand down to her hip.

"Are you sure-"

"Very," She sighed, elated.

He chuckled hoarsely and leant back a little so he could see her body as he slipped inside of her. His gaze settled on the patch of curls above her waiting core, then placed a hand near her head and pushed himself inside her throbbing heat.

Hermione held her breath and tossed back her head. Snape groaned as she tightened around him, and fisted the bedsheet. He didn't move straight away, giving her time to adjust, then he slowly pulled back to thrust inside of her with more force.

Snape placed his other hand next to her head so he could look down at her, but Hermione's eyes stayed closed. He reached out to grab her chin.

"Look at me," He growled, and her eyes fluttered open. A flash of gold entered her eyes, and the same happened to him. He ran his thumb along her swollen lips and moved his hips to thrust against an untouched spot within her.

"Fuck..." She gasped, her lips parting beneath his touch and she struggled to keep her eyes from closing. Snape kissed her gently, then suddenly the tenderness fled the room and pure desire took control.

Hermione let out a cry as he began to pound into her over and over again. She wrapped her arms around him, digging her nails in his back for leverage. The sounds of skin hitting skin echoed around the dungeon room, and their bodies became slick with sweat.

Snape buried his face into her neck to muffle a hoarse groan, and Hermione bit down on the tight skin of his shoulder. They continued to move frantically, and her cries of ecstasy goaded him on.

The coming wave arrived fast, and Hermione's body began to spasm beneath him. She cried out his name as her walls tightened around his pulsating shaft, then with a few more thrusts, he exploded inside of her, collapsing on top of her exhausted body.

Hermione wasn't sure how long had passed, but she relished in the feel of his weight on her as she stared up at the ceiling. She lazily stroked a hand up his back, occasionally brushing against a scar. Her touch didn't make him tense up; it only caused his breathing to become heavier.

"You're not asleep, are you?"

"Fuck no," He breathed out.

Snape moved off her, and she groaned at the loss of warmth. They shifted to the cushions on his bed and slid under the quilt. In a few hours she would have to go to work, but for now, she was content with lying in his arms.


	12. Chapter 12

_AN:/ Hello! Sorry for the wait! Thank you to everyone who favourited and followed! As always, a HUGE thanks to **Lena2244, Nastytashy, SpIdErbite20, LillianMarie2, CrazySlytherin, Jess6800, lunarose87, cbrendible, Smithback, purplehedgehog13 (your Bedknobs and Broomsticks comment made me laugh very hard :D ), flearambo, Arendora,** **girlX901** , and **FrancineHibiscus** for reviewing, this chapter is for you. :)_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 12: Wedding._**

Hermione removed her head from the toilet and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Harry hovered in the doorway and watched her through questioning eyes.

"Have you had sex with Snape?" He asked slowly.

"Harry, are you implying that I somehow got pregnant in less than 24 hours?" Hermione laughed, casting a breath freshening charm. "Do you have any idea how the female body works?"

"Oh," He blushed.

"I drank my body weight in alcohol. Severus' potions helped ease the sickness, but they've worn off now," She flushed the toilet and got to her feet.

She'd spent a long day at work with a glorious ache between her legs. Harry noticed the smitten look on her face the moment she returned home from the Love Chamber, but before he could ask, she raced from the living room to throw up in the toilet.

"You used protection right?"

"I'm on the pill Harry. Now, stop asking questions. I'm exhausted," She staggered over to the bed and dropped onto her stomach.

"Two letters came for you while you were at work," He pointed to her bedside table. "I think one of them is from Jenny."

Hermione sat up and took the first letter. _That's definitely Jenny's handwriting._ She broke the seal and read the words aloud.

"I'm staying at an old friend's house up in Warwickshire. Please do not tell Annette where I am, nor Lucius—I doubt he'd even ask where I am—However, I promise to talk to Annette when I'm ready. All is well, and I hope you keep in contact with me."

"At least she's safe," Harry sat down on the edge of her bed. "Can I read some of the book?"

"Sure. It's-" Hermione paused. "Oh bugger! I left it with Severus."

"Didn't he say you could floo into his quarters at any time?" He smirked.

"He's probably occupied right now. He didn't get much sleep last night because he was too busy looking after me...and doing other things," She giggled, and Harry cringed.

"I'm getting too many unwanted images in my head," He buried his face in his hands.

"It was amazing," She sighed blissfully. "If I weren't so tired I'd go and visit Severus."

Suddenly, a burning pain shot up her arm causing the letter to fall from her hand. Hermione cried out in agony and clutched her left arm. In her haze to reach for her sleeve, she knocked the other letter from the bedside table, and it slid down the back.

She yanked up the sleeve of her robe just in time to see her arm glowing with golden magic, then fade out to leave behind an image.

"W-What?" She panted heavily, clutching her forearm.

"What the hell is that?" Harry exclaimed, appearing at her side.

There was an illustration on her arm—like a Muggle tattoo—she rubbed it vigorously, but it wouldn't disappear. She cast detection charms, however, nothing showed up. Staring back at her was a golden lioness, her eyes were a deep brown, and a devious smile rested on her lips. The left side of the animal's face morphed into a black panther; eyes cold and dark, displaying a sly smirk.

Harry grasped her wrist to examine the mark, then looked up at her in bewilderment.

"I don't understand," Hermione shook her head and narrowed her eyes at the mark.

"Maybe it's a mate thing?" He suggested. "You should go and see Severus."

She nodded. "Do you want to come with me?" Hermione pulled down her sleeve.

"Didn't he say that I wasn't to use the floo to come into his quarters."

She smirked. "Very well. I won't be long."

Hermione made her way out of her room and flooed into Severus' quarters. She looked around the cold dungeon and saw that he wasn't in.

She pulled up her sleeve to inspect the mark. It glistened in the firelight, and she took in its beauty. _I can't believe it._ She wandered over to his desk and saw the book lying beneath some essays. Let's see what this says.

 _ **Markings. After consummation and soul recognition has occurred, each soulmate gains their brand. The mark reflects personalities, traits, actions, memories, all sorts of things that make up an individual. I've seen very unusual ones, while others have been plain and simple.**_

"That explains it," She whispered, chewing on her bottom lip. "Wait, Severus!" Hermione got to her feet. _He must've experienced the surge of pain before the mark appeared. I wonder if he was with people?_

She sunk back into his chair and waited. He didn't turn up for another twenty minutes. The door slammed open, and he stared at her in anger.

"Severus?" Her eyes widened, and she moved from his chair towards him.

Hermione took in the sight of him in his teaching robes and only hoped that he hadn't been surrounded by students when it happened.

"Something transpired today," She drew up her sleeve to show him. "I read the book, and it says that we will both get a mark like this-" Hermione paused when she saw the distraught look in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

He walked around her and marched over to his desk, then rolled up the sleeve covering his left arm. Hermione's eyes grew wider when she realised the Dark Mark was no longer on his forearm; a mark matching hers replaced it.

"Oh my..." She whispered, not able to imagine how he was feeling right now. "Severus, it's gone."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Granger," There was no venom in his tone. _I can't believe it disappeared. My scar!_ Hermione removed the glamour on her arm, but nothing appeared when she removed it. _Wow...it's gone._

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Bewildered."

"Understandably," Hermione reached out to touch his arm, but he stepped back. She didn't take it as rejection and quickly smiled up at him.

"Is it a part of our bond?"

"Yes," She said, and he picked up the book and scanned his eyes across the pages. "It explains it clearly in there."

"Do every pair get a unique mark?"

"I believe so," Hermione stepped up next to him and leant into his side slightly. "It's a reflection of our personality and other things. I assume the lioness represents my Gryffindor traits and the panther reflects your days as a spy."

"Or maybe it shows that I'm sly," He returned, and she laughed at his attempt at a joke.

"How do you really feel?" She asked softly hoping for an honest answer.

"At least it has been replaced by something I'm proud to show," He whispered, and she blushed.

Hermione grabbed his right arm, pushed herself onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. She kept her lips close to his skin, and he moved into her touch.

"Are you tired?" He asked.

"Very," She whispered near his ear.

Snape shut the book with a firm thud and dropped it on the desk, then turned to face her.

"Have the potions worn off?" He asked, and she nodded her head. "And how are you feeling?"

"I was sick when I returned from work, but other than that I just need some sleep," Hermione tilted her head back a little to look at him. "Are you not tired?"

"I'm used to not getting much sleep, Granger," He leant down, so their lips were almost touching. "You should return."

"Mhm," She murmured with a smile.

"I had a pleasant conversation with Minerva today," His voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Really?" She chuckled. "What did you talk about?"

"You," He breathed out, his eyes searching hers.

"All good things I hope."

"She defended your honour and said I was at risk of damaging it."

"And what did you say to her?"

"That any risk of your honour becoming damaged was destroyed early this morning when she was screaming in my bed, and begging me to go faster-"

Hermione inhaled sharply and placed her hands on her burning cheeks.

"And she reacted the same way as you, but she was more mortified."

"You're going to kill that woman if you keep embarrassing her like that," She smiled sheepishly.

Snape reached out and hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her front against his. He lowered his lips to hers in a toe-curling kiss.

It was different to the other kisses they'd shared. Hermione felt at peace with herself, even though the hunger and desire were still there, it's like her soul has accepted that her needs were going to be satisfied without hesitation by the perfect person.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, and he deepened the kiss by pushing his tongue into her mouth, flicking hers gently. She moved her hands to his face, and lovingly stroked his cheekbones with her thumbs.

When their lips parted, she felt a warm feeling surround her heart, and it urged her to have more of him. Her eyes glazed over with lust and his dark ones pierced her soul.

"You should return," He repeated his words from before, and she nodded her head but didn't move away _. I feel craved in his arms._

"I'll see you on Friday," She whispered and traced the lines near his eyes with her fingertips.

"Do you not listen to anything I say? Draco is getting married," He said huskily.

"That late in the evening?" She countered.

He nodded. "I'll be there on Saturday."

"Good," She smirked and stepped out of his arms. "I'll see you then."

With a final look over her shoulder, she flooed back home.

 _Crap, I forgot about Draco._

...

Hermione sat at the root of a tree, plucking strands of grass. She heard the comings and goings of people who resided in Hogwarts, but Snape wasn't one of them.

Friday had come around quickly, giving her little time to formulate a plan. She'd managed to transfigure one of her summer dresses into appropriate attire for a wedding and was using an old shawl to warm her shoulders.

Her eyes landed on her mark, and a radiant smile grew on her face. This past week consisted of giddy smiles and hearty laughs; Harry was growing bored of it, but her colleagues liked this new side of her.

 _I haven't seen Severus since Monday. I've caught up on my sleep now, so I'm ready for some action_. They no longer shared dreams since their souls officially bonded, so her need for him was getting stronger with each passing day.

Two ideas were vocal in her mind: wait for Snape to exit and try to argue with him to take her, or latch onto him just before he disapparate's to the wedding venue. The latter was winning.

There was no way she could convince Snape to take her. He was as stubborn as she, and he probably wouldn't apparate until she left. On the other hand, latching onto him meant she was at risk of getting splinched, but she planned to hug his waist, so she didn't throw him off balance.

 _I'm officially a wedding crasher_. It was a last minute decision. Harry didn't know what day Draco was getting married on, so she decided to go ahead and do something for her best friend. _There is no way I'm letting Draco destroy Harry again._

Now that she knew what it was like to be with your soulmate, she couldn't allow Harry to lose out on such an experience. _Even if it is Draco that can make him feel good._

Hermione hadn't told Harry where she was going this evening and asked him to go ahead to the whorehouse to check on Annette. _I wonder how she's dealing with everything?_

 _I hope she's OK._

Hermione heard the gates open, so she quickly used the disillusionment charm on herself and walked over to the iron gate. Severus and Lucius stepped out talking heatedly between one another. It was evident that Malfoy didn't wish to go and watch as his son ruined the rest of his life.

"Why aren't you bringing someone with you?" Lucius asked. "Draco said you were allowed a plus one. I believe he was hinting at Miss Granger."

"She's unable to attend tonight," He muttered through gritted teeth.

 _Liar_. Hermione smirked.

"Do you not think it's odd that a girl like her spends most of her weekend at a brothel?" She rolled her eyes and stepped closer to them. Snape twitched then glanced over his shoulder and looked through her.

 _There is no way he can see me._

She stood still and contained her sigh of relief when his eyes moved away.

"If that is where she wishes to spend her time, then so be it," He grumbled. "Now let's go."

Hermione moved behind Snape and held her breath. She waited until he straightened his back and broadened his shoulders, then wrapped her arms around him just as he disapparated from Hogwarts.

He tensed immediately.

Their feet hit solid ground, and before she could blink, he whirled around to grab her arms tightly.

"Hello," She beamed up at him, anticipating the horrified look on his face.

"What the fuck are you doing here!?" He yelled, shaking her slightly. "You could've been splinched! Of all the stupid things you've done Granger-"

"Can you yell at me later," She chirped pulling away from him, and when he tried to grab her again, she stepped further back. "I've got something I need to do."

"Granger!" He charged forward, and Hermione chose the childish option of running away knowing well enough that he wouldn't chase her.

Hermione ran inside the Victorian Manor and hurried up the stairs. She heard the distant shout of Snape trying to get her to come back. _He's going to scream at me later on._

She strolled past many doors and finally reached one that was open a fraction. It creaked when she nudged it wide, and her eyes landed on Draco who was standing in front of a full-length mirror. His eyes locked with hers.

"Hi," She whispered, shutting the door behind her.

Draco turned slowly, and she hesitated at the pale look on his face. He looks ill.

"Are you feeling alright?" She asked.

"Is he here?"

Hermione shook her head. "He doesn't know that you're getting married today."

"Oh," His eyes fell to the floor. "It's not like I want him here."

She sighed. "Why is it so hard for you to admit that you like Harry?"

"Why are you here?" He retorted. "I thought you'd be angrier after what I said."

"Draco," Hermione sat down on the arm of the sofa. "Your comment about Severus and Lily made me experience what Harry's been going through for two years. One day was too much, and I don't think I could handle feeling that way for so long."

"He could just move on."

"Severus and I slept together-"

"I don't want to know that!" He belched turning away from her.

"Let me finish!" She scolded. "I've only ever been with one person before him, and it was the worst experience of my life. However, the night I spent with Severus was beyond perfect. It put all those romantic tales to shame. Don't you realise that you'll never experience genuine passion, and love unless you're with him?"

His eyes landed on her left forearm. "What is that?"

"My Soul Mark," She smiled. "Isn't it beautiful? Severus has one too; it appeared after our souls officially connected."

"A lioness and a...panther?" He raised a curious brow.

"I reckon yours would be a lion and a snake."

He winced and turned to look at himself in the mirror. "Granger, I am getting married in less than ten minutes."

"I know," She stepped up behind him and admired his fancy robes.

"I'm doing this for my mother," Draco's blond hair fell in front of his face.

"I know," Hermione repeated.

"I have to move on and make her proud," He pulled on the seam of his silk robe and looked at her with glistening eyes.

"Have you heard of Paulo Coelho?" Draco shook his head. "He once said that 'Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.' Sound familiar?"

He turned around to look down at her. She watched him open his mouth to say something, but somebody knocking on the door stopped him.

"I'm getting married," Draco grunted, then walked over to the door and greeted his mother, leaving Hermione behind in the old fashioned room.

 _I thought he would—was this a bad idea?_

Hermione stalked out of the room and followed the wave of noise. It led her outside into a beautiful garden where a decorative arch was set up. Draco was standing beneath it waiting for his bride to walk down the petal aisle.

People moved to sit down just as the music started playing. A hand grabbed her wrist, and she was yanked down into an empty seat. Snape lowered his face close to hers. _Crap._

"You and I will be having serious words after this," He growled menacingly. "It appears you haven't matured since your school days otherwise you'd know the serious risks of surprising someone while they're apparating."

Hermione couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes. She wasn't upset because he was angry - he has every right to be—she just couldn't stand that Harry was going to miserable again; _I just managed to get him back on track._

Snape visibly recoiled from the sight of her tears. His demeanour faltered then he swallowed hard. She noticed that his hand was shaking a little when he wiped her sudden tears away.

"Why did you do it?" He leant down, so his mouth was by her ear.

"I tried to talk him out of it," She whispered back. "For a second, I thought he wasn't going to go through with it. I was wrong."

Snape cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. They both turned to see Draco's bride approaching. Her gown looked to be of the finest white lace; her blonde hair gathered on top of her head in an array of curls. Hermione envied her thin face and her bright blue eyes, _Merlin she's beautiful._

Hermione smiled sadly as she passed, and Snape grabbed her hand. They watched Draco greet her under the arch, and the Minister stood between them. _There's nothing I can do._ Hermione looked over at Lucius who was sitting in the front row, knuckles white from the tight grip he had on his cane. _I actually feel sorry for the sod._

The evening chill settled on the venue and Hermione nuzzled herself into Snape's side. She didn't know if he opposed to public displays of affection, but he wasn't showing any opposition to it at the moment.

It came time for Draco to say his vows. The Minister made them hold hands, then read the text aloud and awaited him to recite it back. Draco's eyes lowered to their joined hands, and Snape's grip tightened around hers.

 _Please don't do this..._

Snape was tense beneath her touch, and she didn't know whether he wanted her to stop touching him, but she needed the comfort he brought her.

Draco's eyes found hers, and his lips thinned. _Don't do it._ He glanced back at his fiancée, then back at her. Hermione shook her head slowly, and he let go of his bride's hands. The sudden movement made everyone still, and Snape's grip eased.

"My boy?" The Minister frowned.

"I can't do this," He whispered, then looked over at his mother. "I'm sorry," Draco took off down the aisle and disappeared inside the manor. Hermione watched him go with a subtle smile on her face.

"Don't look so smug about it," Snape whispered, his voice velvety in her ear causing a shiver to shoot down her spine.

There was an uproar, and Narcissa rushed inside after her son. Hermione saw the relief on Lucius' face, and he casually strolled over to them.

"I'm glad you managed to talk him out of it," The blond said to Snape.

"You should be thanking Miss Granger," He returned, and Lucius narrowed his eyes at her.

"What did you say to my son?" His lip curled up in malice, and Hermione got to her feet, so she wasn't pinned down by his gaze.

"Does it matter?" She tightened her shawl around her shoulders, and Snape's hand rested on her back as he stood behind her. "I managed to stop him from going through with it."

"I hope that this doesn't have anything to do with that ridiculous book Madam Annette bestowed upon me?"

She nodded. "I'm afraid it does. You should start broadening your horizon on who you perceive as good enough for you Mr Malfoy. It seems that you've lost out on your one shot of happiness."

"Please do not belittle me, Miss Granger. I have no time to involve myself with mudbloods and whores," Snape laced his arm around her waist just as she lunged towards him. Lucius went on his way, chuckling to himself.

"I wasn't going to hurt him," She grumbled turning around to face Snape.

"Sure," He urged her forward and inside the manor.

Hermione heard the shouts of Narcissa claiming that Draco apparated somewhere, and she wanted people to go and find him. _I bet I know where he's gone._

 _Harry's in for a surprise._

* * *

 _AN/: Part 2 will be up either tomorrow or Sunday! It will be a very juicy chapter...also, Hermione will discover what's in that second letter!_


	13. Chapter 13

_AN:/ Hello! This chapter has been read over with tired eyes so excuse any extreme mistakes! Thank you to those who have followed and favourited. As always MUCH LOVE goes to the following reviewers, **DarkMoon2222, Nastytashy, Paladium, Sinfull-Innocence, purplehedgehog13, Smithback, CrazySlytherin, FrancineHibiscus,** **riaroo400** , and **madreader19,** this fluffy chapter is for you!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13: Control.**_

Harry stared at the wall, willing himself to go ahead with his choice. The woman lay on the bed waiting—she didn't appear to be bothered by his preoccupied state of mind. He couldn't ease the niggling feeling that something wasn't right. It was odd that Hermione hadn't come with him tonight. _She always comes with me._

He'd done the noble thing and checked on Annette—who was in pieces about Jenny leaving—he didn't tell her where she was lodging and knew that they would sort things out soon. _I have worse things to worry about._

Harry knew that Draco was getting married today; he felt it deep down. Something in his mind and heart made Harry ache for him more today—a telltale sign that a significant change was coming.

Harry sighed, and looked at the woman.

"You can go," He said politely. "I just remembered that I have something to do."

The woman had the cheek to growl. "Another person wasting my precious time," She got up from the bed and straightened out her robes. Her angry walk towards the door cut short when it flew open.

"Watch it!" She wailed, bumping into Draco as she left. Harry inhaled sharply and got to his feet, taking in his attire.

Draco watched him through hooded eyes, sated with anger and hunger. Those conflicting emotions made heat boil up in the depths of his stomach; he coughed to ease the pressure. The door slammed shut behind Draco, and he stalked into the room like he owned the place.

"I see you've been keeping yourself entertained while I was gone."

"By gone, do you mean getting married?" He shot back, glaring at Draco through his round glasses.

"Married?" He retorted, stepping closer to him. "I did not get married today."

"Then why are you dressed like that?" His fine robes begged to differ, and Harry hated that he found Draco appealing in clothes not meant for him.

"I don't even know why I bothered coming here…" He snarled, looking him up and down with disgust.

"How hypocritical of you to become jealous of me being with another woman, while I had to watch you dry hump one of the whores last week," Harry ran a hand through his dark hair and closed the distance between them.

"I'm not jealous!" Draco spat. "I can do what I please with a woman."

Harry's chest tightened. _Why does Hermione get things easy for her? Snape has taken this in his stride and accepted who she is to him._

"Very well then. If you don't mind I'm going to head home," Harry walked over to the door, and when he opened it an inch, Draco's hand forced it shut, turning him around to pin Harry against the wooden door.

Draco seemed to tower over him, but Harry didn't back down under his smouldering gaze.

"Why did you come here?" He asked biting down on his tongue to stop it wetting his lips. Harry wasn't stupid; he knew that Draco could feel the same sensations as him. However, the blond git was having trouble coming to terms with the concept.

"I..." His eyes fluttered closed for a second as he regained his composure. "I fled the wedding and the next thing I know, I'm here."

Draco's head lowered towards him slightly; it was enough that he could feel his breath on his face—a reminder that he was truly there. The thundering thump in Harry's chest begged him to take what was his, but he knew that Draco would struggle with the sentiment because he wouldn't be in control.

Harry didn't have an issue if Draco took the lead, yet, Draco never seemed to want to take the lead.

"Why did you flee? Did you leave the woman at the altar?"

"Something like that," He grumbled, and Harry gasped.

"How could you do such a thing!"

"Are you seriously lecturing me on how I left her? Shouldn't you be glad that I'm here!" He yelled in his face.

"Thank you for gracing me with your presence tonight Malfoy, but I've got better things to be doing," Harry reached for the doorknob.

Immediately, Draco grabbed both of his wrists and pinned them above his head. It was a move that was intimate and dominant at the same time, it could be a sign that Draco was taking control, but Harry knew not to mistake control with anger.

"Leaving would be a terrible idea right now Potter," He hissed. "A horrible idea."

Harry's lips separated, becoming dry from his staggering breaths. He needed to push his glasses back up his nose but didn't dare try to fight against his hold.

Draco wedged his knee in the gap between his legs. Their bodies brushed against each other creating slow—agonising—friction. Harry forced up his chin to urge him on and could only think of kissing Draco's strangely soft lips.

He threw caution to the wind and brushed his dry lips against Draco's soft mouth. Harry expected him not to react, but it didn't stop him from enjoying the thrill that shot through his body.

Harry longed for him to let go of his wrists so he could touch him, but he seemed adamant on burning a hole into his face. Harry slowly brought his lips away and gazed up into his eyes.

 _Was it too much to ask for? All I want is to feel something with someone_. Harry didn't doubt his feelings for Draco, nor was he ashamed of them. A soul bond connects them, and he'd be damned if he was going to let that slip through his fingertips.

 _I don't care that my mate is Draco Malfoy._

"Malfoy—" Draco quickly brought him back in for a kiss—a passionate one.

He finally released Harry's wrists so he could cup either side of his face. Fingers delved into his strands, and their bodies moved effortlessly together. The longer they kissed, the less tense Draco became—that's a positively good sign.

Harry decided to try to attempt some control. He placed his hands on Draco's waist, pushing him back towards the bed. Their strides were not elegant. Nonetheless, they didn't wish to part mouths.

Hot kisses flurried down Draco's neck, and Harry quickly removed his glasses. It was much like their dreams having Draco beneath him, but his Slytherin companion instantly stiffened, causing Harry to bring his mouth away from his long neck.

"What?" Harry's cheeks flushed a light pink as he leant over Draco. He felt a burning need inside him wanting some form of release, but he wasn't about to get said release from an unwilling partner.

Draco only had to venture his hand down south to feel the obvious erection he had inflicted on Harry; he settled his weight across Draco's lap and was delighted to feel his reaction to their mild foreplay.

Suddenly, Draco growled out in frustration, flipping Harry onto his back so he could govern the situation. Their mouths returned to caressing one another, adding fuel to the fire simmering inside of them.

Harry relished in the feel of Draco's hand wandering down his side to the back of his thigh. It seemed to move things along faster, and all Harry wanted was for them to have no clothes on so he was free to explore.

It did cross his mind that he wished to share another moment similar to their dreams—bundled in front of the fire in the midst of sweet, passionate love—yet, the relentless way Draco kissed him showed his built up frustration rather than love.

It didn't bother Harry at all. He was just glad that they were here together, glad that Draco didn't go through with his arranged marriage.

Harry gasped in the warm air when Draco began to kiss a wet trail down his neck. He became aware of his naked state a few seconds later.

Draco continued to kiss his way from Harry's neck and down to his collarbone, then he looked up at him with confused eyes. Harry could see the tightness between his brows and wondered for a second if Draco was nervous about their position.

"It's not fair..." He gulped at the feel of Draco's breath against his nipple, then the flick of his tongue followed. "If you get to keep your clothes on."

Harry's erection began to brush against Draco's silk robes, and he was surprised at the jolt of pleasure it caused him. Something unfamiliar coursed through his veins and for a second he saw the moment a similar feeling registered on Draco's face.

Yes, his body was on fire, but he could feel the magic wrapping itself around his heart and soul. Draco appeared above his face and stared into his eyes—a flash of gold caressed Draco's iris'.

 _Registration._ Harry's soul was starting to connect with its significant other.

Draco lowered his mouth to Harry's. This kiss was cautious, hesitation was clearly in his demeanour, and Harry knew that his uncertainty was something they'd overcome together.

Together, Harry echoed in his mind. A word has never felt so alluring to him before; _I like the sound of being together with him._

A hand clasped around his hardened cock, and Harry threw his head back with an exasperated sigh. Draco's grip tightened, trying to work out what he liked, and dotted kisses down his neck. Harry had never felt something as tender as this—he was in heaven.

Draco's slender hand began to pump his cock carefully; it was inevitable that he wouldn't last long. Harry buried his fingers into Draco's long blond hair as he nibbled at his delicate neck.

Low hums arose from his throat as Draco began to move his hand faster; he smiled against the skin of Harry's throat and brushed the tip of his pulsating cock.

"Mmm," Harry groaned, and he bit down on his bottom lip. "Draco...I..." No words followed, and he lost himself in the feel of his fast approaching orgasm.

His sack tightened beneath the brush of Draco's fingertips and Harry arched into his quick motions, throwing his head back with a grunt of ecstasy; he spilt his seed onto Draco's wedding robes and his flat abdomen.

Draco's movements slowed down until his cock softened in his palm, then he placed his hands on either side of Harry's head and gazed down at him.

A deep crimson blush covered Harry's face and being under Draco's scrutinising gaze didn't help ease it. A wandless cleaning spell rid the evidence of his rapture, and Draco reached down a shaking hand to touch Harry's warm cheek.

...

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace with a frown. Snape appeared behind her with a worse scowl and looked at her with disappointment. Whatever moment they'd shared watching Draco flee from his wedding was gone with the wind.

 _He's still angry with me because I jumped on him before he apparated._

She crossed her arms over her dress, unintentionally pushing up her heaving bosom. Snape's eyes travelled down; he turned away snarling loudly.

"I did what I thought was right," He began to furiously pull books from the bookshelf, scan them, then put them back with a growl. "I got Draco to do the right thing. All he needed was a gentle approach, and he was all ears—Severus that's my diary!" She squealed like a child and raced over to swipe it from him. It was her purple clad journal, which meant it contained the days she returned to retake her seventh year. _Almost every day I mention him._

Hermione didn't know whether she should be proud of him. It was evident that he was trying to distract himself from getting angrier and lash out at her. However, she wanted him to shout. It's his way of getting his feelings across. _I'd rather have him scream that he's upset because he could've splinched me, than ruin my perfectly organised living room._

Snape continued his rampage through the books and Hermione slid her diary back on the shelf. She had never needed to hide it from anyone before since Harry rarely went near the books.

Hermione followed him around his laps of the living room and took valuable objects and books from his hands whenever he picked them up. His snarling worsened. She sensed he was going to start yelling at her soon, then after maybe they could settle down and have a nice evening together.

"Severus!" She exclaimed growing impatient. "I know you wish to yell at me so please do so."

He turned on her. "You could've killed yourself!"

"That probability was highly unlikely," She replied. "I calculated the risks before doing it, Severus. I had no idea where the wedding was—would you have taken me with you if I'd asked?"

"No," He grumbled, glaring down at her. His thin black hair covered some of his face, and she reached up to move it away so she could look into his beautiful eyes.

"I know you better than you think," She whispered, and his lip curled at her opinion.

"You don't know anything about me."

"I do believe we countered that point before we first made love-" The notion made him growl, and he stepped away from her to sit on the sofa.

A sickening thought settled on Hermione. _Does he regret it?_

"Hermione, I can hear you thinking from here. Sit down and stop fretting," He muttered, gesturing to the empty spot beside him. She nervously hurried over to the sofa. "There were some nasty people there today."

"Oh," She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. _That explains a lot_.

"I didn't want you there in case they tried to talk to you," He explained with a sigh. "Lucius has kept his distance from them, but Narcissa keeps in touch."

"How bad are they?"

"They agreed with the Dark Lords opinions, but were never official Death Eaters—more distant followers."

"At least none of them talked to me," She tried to ease the tension forming in the room. Hermione understood his reasoning and was mildly flattered that he wanted to keep her out of harm's way. _However, he could've just mentioned it to me; I would've been more careful._

"That's beside the point, Hermione!" He snapped, glaring at her. She moved closer to him and placed her small hand on his arm. Snape stiffened beneath her touch, making the lines on his face more noticeable.

She began to roll up the sleeve of his formal robes so she could reveal their shared mark. Frizzy strands of hair covered her face as she pressed a kiss to the Panther side. Hermione felt the sensation of her lips against her own mark and smiled up at him.

"I apologise Severus. If I'd known your reasoning for not inviting me, then I would've been more cautious about my actions. However, I'm not going to apologise for turning up at the wedding," She traced the outline of his mark. "Next time, tell me."

Snape was watching her with an uncertain look. "What did you say to Draco?"

"I may have bragged about our..." She paused, searching his eyes for an answer, but came up empty-handed. "Our..."

"Hermione it's safe for you to call this a relationship. I'm not oblivious to what is going on between us," There was a snarky look in his eyes—similar to the way he had been as her professor.

Hearing him say those words made her heart beat faster. It was nice to get reassurance from him; unlike Hermione, Snape wasn't easy to read.

"I gloated about our relationship," She smiled sweetly. "Quoted a Muggle author, then we were interrupted. He seemed adamant that he was going to go through with the wedding, but Draco gave me a look when he was standing at the altar, then ran. I guess he needed someone to approach the situation with a clear mind."

"Are you trying to say my approach was too harsh?"

"Yes," She chuckled. "Severus, were you going to tell Draco that he should flee his wedding to be with Harry?"

Snape growled. "I would never entertain such a ridiculous idea."

"They are soulmates," Hermione whispered gazing up at him lovingly. "Like us, they will soon bear a mark and be infatuated with one another."

"Are you infatuated with me, Miss Granger?" His eyes darkened.

"Of course not," She mumbled sarcastically and tried to move away from him, but he quickly captured her mouth in a heated kiss.

Snape lowered her onto her back and forced their bodies together. Hermione idly ran her fingers through his hair and lost herself in the feel of his lips against hers.

He moved his hand down her body, and Hermione shivered when it disappeared up the skirt of her dress. His grip was tight on her thigh urging her leg around his waist.

She managed to undo some of his buttons but got frustrated when he made her lose concentration by grazing his teeth along her neck. A gasp filled the air, and Snape smirked against her skin.

The desire sparked between them, and Hermione knew that he'd never fail to make her feel so alive in his arms. This encounter was less frantic and needy; both of them were in control now and happy teasing one another.

Hermione reached down to brush her fingers against the bulge covered by his dark trousers. He grunted something against her neck, and she smiled sheepishly. Hermione managed to gather her thoughts so she could summon blankets and cushions from upstairs. They appeared next to the sofa, and she laughed wickedly as she used her leg around his waist to flip him off the sofa.

He landed with a grunt on the cushioned floor, and she straddled his hips, beaming down at him. Hermione kissed him softly, and he didn't protest to her new leverage on their exchange.

Their bodies soon became bare from Snape's wandless spell, and they glistened under the firelight. She moved down his body to touch his alert cock, then lowered her plump lips to his glossy head.

She glanced up his body and saw that his eyes were closed in anticipation, then he hissed when she blew against the tip.

"Granger, if you're going to be a-" She wrapped her soft lips around his cock to shut him up. It was her first time performing an act in reality—she'd done it many of times in their dreams—but she knew her way around it. She wasn't oblivious to the mechanics of pleasuring a man. _I've also read it in books._

Hermione used her hand to pump his throbbing cock simultaneously with her lips. She traced her tongue along the base of his penis and sucked him into her mouth. Her curls brushed against his thighs causing him to shiver.

She kept up the enticing act for a while, then she felt his body tense up as he neared his climax, but he quickly pulled her away from his pulsating member and placed her down on her side, so she was facing the fire.

His body was against her back instantly like he was ready to cuddle her in bed, but his arm slipped around her body while his other travelled down to her wet heat. She hooked her leg over his thigh, so she was open to him.

Snape ran his calloused fingers across her swollen clit, rubbing it in tight circles; his other hand squeezed her breast, rolling her hardened nipple between two fingers. Hermione let her head fall back against his shoulder, and he feathered kisses on her exposed neck.

His hard length strained her opening, and she bit down on her bottom lip.

"Severus...please..." She gasped through her passion.

Snape pushed inside her with an agonisingly slow speed, and both of them paused to indulge the feel of being joined once again. The tightness in her core was relentless, and she couldn't think of anything else but finding her release.

She reached behind her to bury her fingers into his black hair, awaiting him to move. He obliged, and they settled into a slow pace. They embraced each thrust which built up the aching need within them.

Hermione's other hand curled against the blanket under them, and she begged him to move faster. He responded by tweaking her nipple, she growled in irritation and Snape chuckled deeply against her shoulder.

"Faster..." She groaned, and the sound of skin hitting skin consumed the room. The pair moved frantically against each other and let their urges take over. Hermione cried out when her orgasm took control of her, she gripped on tightly to his hair and arched away from him.

A few thrusts later, Snape spilt himself inside of her core, grunting her name in her ear. They both became lax on the blankets and cushions in a tangle of limbs. The sound of heavy breathing was comforting to Hermione, and she was unable to rid the smile from her face.

"Hermione I-" The flames flared green, and Snape quickly reached for the blanket nearby and covered their naked bodies.

Harry stepped out slipping his glasses back on, and Draco followed behind him, then let out a deep wail at the sight of them on the floor. Harry soon realised what he was seeing and turned away with a yelp.

"S-Sorry 'Mione, I didn't know..."

"It's alright," She snickered, and Draco turned away from them so that they could slip into their clothes. Hermione's blush reddened, and they got dressed. Snape didn't seem embarrassed by the intrusion, but he was glaring daggers at the back of Harry's head. "You can turn around now."

Harry faced them with a shy look on his face. "I'm sorry."

"You should be, Potter," Snape growled straightening out his robes.

"How is Annette doing?" Hermione asked in an attempt to alleviate the awkward situation they found themselves in.

"She's upset, but understands that Jenny needs some space," Harry explained.

"That reminds me. I need to reply to Jenny's letter," Hermione grabbed Snape's wrist. "You can help me," He didn't protest instead he recognised her way of escaping the living room.

They walked out of the room, and Hermione led him up the stairs and into her room. The door shut behind them with a click, then she burst out laughing.

"That was not remotely funny."

"Oh come on Severus," She giggled walking over to her dresser to look in the mirror. "It was a little humorous," Hermione saw the reflection of a letter behind her bedside table.

The white envelope peeped out, sealed by black wax. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and walked over to retrieve it. _Oh, I completely forgot that I knocked this behind the bedside table when I received my mark._

"What's that?" Snape looked over her shoulder.

"I'm not sure," Hermione broke the seal and opened it up to find only a few words waiting for her.

 _ **Your dear Jenny will be dead by this evening if I do not receive my money.**_

 _ **RK.**_

The words didn't register straight away. All Hermione could think about was that she'd got this letter on Monday.

 _Monday's long gone._

" _No...no no no no no_ ," Tears welled up in her eyes and her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. " _No no no no..._ "


	14. Chapter 14

_AN:/ Hello! Sorry for the long wait, it was my birthday and I went away on holiday for the week, so I've had a lot on. Updates will be back on a regular basis! Thank you for the love and support!_

 _As always this chapter is for the following reviewers: **sutta03, SlytherinHeir666, RhodaBush, ACupples, Fire Tiggeress, purplehedgehog13, Nastytashy, Sassyluv, Zedoc, Paladium, Celeste Skye Johnson-Malfoy, Smithback, TWILIGHTER110323, CrazySlytherin, lunarose87, FrancineHibiscus, and DarkMoon2222.**_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 14: Not Good Enough._**

Hermione tapped her fingers repeatedly on the wooden table. A long hour has passed since she read the letter—she was still waiting for some answers.

 _R.K. Who is that? Severus said that we must wait until Lucius arrives. I don't understand why though?_

She looked over her shoulder to where Snape was standing next to Draco. He sensed her eyes on him and glanced her way with cold eyes. She hated that he could easily turn off his emotions; _it has only been over an hour since we had sex, and he's gone back into professor mode._

"Why do we have to wait for Lucius?" She asked.

"He knows who RK is," Snape replied and slowly stalked over to where she was sitting. "Rufus Kensington."

"I'm not familiar with the name," Hermione chewed on her bottom lip. "Should I be?"

He shook his head and sat down next to her. She felt at ease instantly and wished to have his arms wrapped around her. _He'd probably hex me if I did such a thing._

"He's an old friend of your fathers," He directed his answer at Draco. "However, Rufus has more of a distaste for...Muggleborns."

Hermione found it hard to believe that someone could dislike her bloodline more than Lucius Malfoy.

"Would he really kill her?" Snape visibly recoiled away from the innocent look on her face. Tears began to well up in her hazel eyes.

"I do not know him as well as Lucius," Hermione frowned, and she saw his hand twitch on the table.

"Why did he send the letter to me? I don't understand his motive behind it. If he hates Muggleborns, why demand money from one?" She rubbed her forehead to ease the ache forming there. Snape quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed beneath his touch and stopped fidgeting on the chair.

"I think that Lucius might have received a similar letter. He's been acting oddly all week," Hermione buried her face in her hands, and he gave her soft shoulder a comforting squeeze. She appreciated his attempt to ease her worries, but the only thing that could cheer her up was to see Jenny.

"Oddly? He acted like a prat at the wedding!" Hermione growled, then cast an apologetic look in Draco's direction.

"He is a prat," Draco muttered. "I agree with Severus though. He's been acting strange all week; he banned me from coming in the Manor. I just assumed he was refusing to talk to me because I was planning on going through with the marriage," He gave Harry a funny look, and it reminded Hermione that she needed to ask him how things went with Draco. _Both of them came through the fireplace looking smitten with one another—it must've gone well._

Hermione reached up to grab Snape's hand, but the sound of someone coming through the floo made her pause. They all turned to look at the kitchen door and waited for it to open. Snape removed his hand from her shoulder and got to his feet just as Lucius walked into the room with a jittery Jenny behind him.

"Jenny!" Hermione accidentally barged into Snape as she scurried around the table to hug her. They both embraced each other warmly, and Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you're alright," She pulled away. "What happened?" Jenny gave Lucius a sideways glance.

"My knight in shining armour came to rescue me," She muttered sarcastically, and Lucius glared at her.

"You should be more grateful," He wandered over to the table and sat down. "I let you reside in my Manor after all."

"You've been staying there?" Hermione asked.

"Mr Malfoy rescued me on Monday evening, but Rufus roughed me up a bit, so I needed some time to rest," Jenny explained looking irritated. _I thought soulmates were meant to get along...I wonder if they've started to dream about each other yet?_

 _It would be plausible as they've been close since Monday._

"Rufus took the money and disappeared. I have no doubt that he'll return demanding more from me—from everyone," Lucius looked Hermione up and down. "He showed an interest in you."

"Me?" Her face tightened.

Out the corner of her eye she saw Snape's black head fly up.

Lucius smirked. "You're the best friend of the famous Mr Potter," He spoke with mild disgust. "You're also a Mudblood—A Muggleborn witch, which makes you a target," Lucius glanced over at Snape. "Keep a watchful eye over your witch," He got to his feet with the help of his cane. "It has been a long day. Are you coming, Draco?"

All eyes turned to the squirming Malfoy. Hermione muffled a giggle when Draco looked between his father and Harry.

"Yes," He grunted, then gave Harry an apologetic look.

The Malfoy's left and Hermione turned to Jenny. "You can stay here for the night."

She shook her head. "I'll be fine. I informed my friend in Warwickshire that I had business to take care of, so she's waiting for my return with open arms. You'll keep in touch, won't you?"

"Of course," Hermione walked with her to the fireplace in the other room. The pair hugged briefly, and Hermione watched her go with tired eyes. _It has been a long day._

A hand rested on her back, and she settled into Snape's firm chest.

"I have to go," He whispered near her ear.

"OK," She turned to look up at him with a small smile. "When will I next see you?"

"Tomorrow," Snape's gaze travelled down to her lips, then he looked back into her eyes. "I'll owl you if something else comes up..." He trailed off with a sigh and she raised a brow in curiosity.

"Is something wrong?"

"Everything is adequate."

 _Adequate, seriously?_

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Hermione rested her hand on his chest and slowly moved it up to rest over his glamoured scar. She watched him flinch slightly, but pushed herself onto her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Bye," He grunted, and she saw the colour flood his pale cheek before he headed into the fire.

Harry coughed from the doorway and made his way to the sofa to sit down. "You and Snape appear to be getting along well."

Hermione smiled sheepishly as she took a seat next to him. "It seems that way."

"I didn't mean to interrupt you two-"

"Harry," She chuckled. "Stop worrying about it."

"I think Snape wanted to kill me," He murmured with a blush.

"He always wants to kill you," She turned to lean against the back of the sofa. "What happened between you and Draco?"

She saw him swallow hard. "Nothing really...we didn't talk much," His shy eyes scanned the room.

"Oh," _I get it_. "You did something that didn't require much talking...Harry you minx!"

"W-What?" He stammered. "I didn't mean that—we didn't have...stop embarrassing me!"

She laughed loudly. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me, I understand if you want to keep things private."

"I kind of wish that you and Snape would keep things private," He scowled at the rug. "I do not want to know what his after sex face looks like."

Hermione couldn't stop the giddy feeling that took over her. They spent the next hour talking about little things until sleep consumed them and they snoozed on the sofa together.

...

"Does a Rufus Kensington frequently visit?" Hermione sat down on the stool at the bar. Annette wiped the sweat from her forehead as she handed a customer two drinks.

"I know the name," She replied counting the money the man gave her, then she smiled to let him know everything was fine. "He and his friends come in around once a month. A randy bunch, cause trouble, but they always pay extra."

"Hm," She hummed and placed her bag on the counter with a thud. Annette narrowed her eyes.

"Is my Grandmother's book in there?" Hermione nodded. "Do you carry it everywhere, love?"

"Yes," She smiled. "I still haven't read it all. Every time I discover new information I get too excited and I never continue."

Annette chuckled. "I'd like it back soon."

"Oh," Hermione frowned. "Of course."

"You can help me start my mission to find other soulmates," Annette leant over the bar and took the book from her bag. "What stage are you at dear?"

"Severus and I both have matching marks," Hermione pulled up her sleeve and held it out to her.

"Wow," Annette's delicate fingers wrapped around her wrist. "It's charming."

"Thank you," Hermione blushed, then cleared her throat. "Can I have a week to finish the book?"

"Yes, love," Annette put the book back then curiously looked at her. "Have you heard from Jenny?"

"I have," Hermione took a sip of her water. _Jenny sent me a letter this morning informing me that she was home safe._

"How is she?"

Hermione hadn't told Annette about Jenny's abrupt disappearance and knew not to bring it up—she didn't want to worry her.

"She's doing well," Hermione tapped her fingers on the bar. "I'm sure she'll talk to you once she's calmed down."

"I didn't mean to hurt her feelings," Annette sighed. "She never complained about her place here, so I assumed she was OK with it."

"Jenny thinks highly of you. I know that she'll come back when she's had some alone time," Hermione explained. "Also, I don't think it's just you that she's avoiding. Lucius may have something to do with it."

"I had hoped it wasn't him," She whispered. "That ignorant sod is not good enough for her."

"I agree," Hermione laughed, then an arm snaked around her waist causing her to go rigid.

"Miss me, princess?" The stench of Felix's breath made her nose scrunch up, and she turned, only to come face-to-face with him.

"I'm afraid not. More enticing things have been keeping me occupied," Hermione smiled smugly, turning away to take another sip of her water.

"You wound me," He gasped. "This doesn't have something to do with that creep who watches you."

"Oh, you mean my-" She paused. _Boyfriend still doesn't suit him. Partner? Mate?_

"Your?"

"Her other half," Snape's silky drawl made her back straighten, and she threw Felix's arm from her waist.

"You're not good enough for her," Felix grumbled with narrowed eyes.

"Felix!" Annette pulled a rag from her belt and hit him with it. "Don't be so rude!"

"You may be right," He growled. "Yet, she lays with me and spends her free time in my company."

Hermione's stomach flipped, and she looked at him heatedly. The sight of him made her breathing hitch in the back of her throat as a familiar warmth consumed her body. _I hope he never stops making me feel this way._

Snape held out his hand, so she grabbed her bag and placed her cold fingers in his palm. They bid them goodbye and made their way up the stairs. He didn't say anything to her as they walked into the foyer. Lucius was nowhere in sight.

He let go of her hand as she took a seat, then he poured himself a glass of firewhiskey and sat down next to her. The amber liquid disappeared quickly, and he slammed the glass down on the table.

Hermione suddenly felt a pull towards him. He turned just in time to meet her lips as she smashed them against his. He inhaled sharply, then buried his hands into her frizzy hair.

They kissed lazily, but it eased Hermione's nervous stomach, and she moved to straddle his legs. Her arms laced around his neck while he wrapped one of his around her waist, and his other hand buried itself into the back of her curls.

Her heated body urged her to grind herself against his hardening erection; her instincts didn't seem bothered that they were in the foyer. Snape brought his lips away to press kisses along her jawline and down to her neck.

"Could you two not dry hump in the public eye," Draco sneered causing Snape's growl to vibrate her neck. They both turned to look at him with annoyed expressions. "There are plenty of rooms for you to do your business in."

Hermione reluctantly got off Snape's lap but stayed close to him. His arm lay across the back of the sofa, and the action brought a radiant smile to her face. _I think he's getting used to the idea of PDA._ His notions were subtle, and much appreciated.

Draco took a seat on another sofa, then looked around the room.

"Harry should be here shortly," She said. "He's been acting weird all day. I think he might need some time to gather his wits."

Draco was bearing a similar look to Harry. _It seems that they're both equally agitated about seeing each other again._

"Where's my father?" Draco asked changing the subject.

"He stormed off to Annette's study to find more information on soulmates," Snape explained with a grunt. "I believe he has started to experience dreams about Jenny."

"I knew it," Hermione chirped with excitement and looked up at Snape with a grin. "You should ask him what he dreams about."

"Why would I do such a gruesome thing. I can safely say that I do not wish to know Lucius' secret sexual desires," He pinned her with a look; she was tempted to kiss him again but didn't want to face the wrath of both men in the room.

Draco shuddered. "My father isn't good enough for Jenny."

"Wow, you just said something nice," Hermione said with a glint in her eye. "I'm proud of you Malfoy."

"Quieten down, Granger," He growled. "My mother moved on to a reasonable man who respects her. Father never treated her the way she deserved to be treated. I believe he will act the same way towards Jenny. I do not know the woman well enough, yet, I do know that she isn't a pushover."

"Their bond may change his ways," Hermione said just as Harry walked into the foyer.

"Hi," He greeted looking at Hermione, then his eyes settled on Draco. "Hello..."

A sexy grumble resonated from Snape's chest and she immediately recognised that he was uncomfortable. "Do you want to go for a walk?" She asked him, and he answered by pulling her up from the sofa, grabbing her bag, and leading her out of the foyer.

Hermione giggled as she took her bag from him, and they left the whorehouse in stride with one another.

Snape offered her his arm, and they walked down the dimly lit alley. Usually, this place made her feel uneasy if she ever had to walk it alone, but Snape radiated safety, so nothing seemed to make her feel anxious.

 _Merlin, he's perfect_. It was a daunting thought that this could all end soon. She felt like things were going too well for them. _Nothing this good ever happens to me, I don't understand how I got this lucky._

Right now they were in their only little bubble, and the idea that he used to be her professor never crossed her mind.

"Stop thinking so hard," His sensuous voice sent a shiver down her spine.

"I can't help it," She chewed on her bottom lip.

"What's bothering you?" He asked, and she opened her mouth to lie, but he cut her off. "I'd like an honest answer, Granger."

"It's Hermione," She retorted. "And I was just thinking about our bubble."

"Bubble?" He looked at her sourly. "What ridiculous sentiment are you brooding over now?"

 _Why can he always read me like an open book?_

She stopped walking, and he turned to stand in front of her. "I feel as if things are going too well for us. Nothing good has ever lasted long for me," Hermione looked up at him with sad eyes. "I was just wondering how long it will last."

"This bond we share can be a curse and a blessing," He said as his dark eyes roamed over her soft features. "If things are going too fast for you, then we can slow it down, but you must know that this is beyond my experience."

"W-Wait...you've never been in a relationship before?" Hermione reached out to touch his left arm, but he moved away from her with a growl.

"I don't need your pity."

"No! I wasn't—I'm sorry..." She pushed some of her hair from her face and tried to find his eyes through his blanket of hair. "It's just that...I've never seen a moment of hesitation from you. I never expected you to deal with our bond so well. At school you were hostile, and I assumed you would be the same in your private life. Yet, there has never been any hesitation, no worries, and I haven't had to do some serious wall breaking to be with you. To be honest, I'm rather shocked."

"Hermione you broke down every single wall the moment you bumped into me the first night at the whorehouse," He explained, and her lips parted as she gazed up at him. "You've done a lot more than you think. I hesitate every time I'm around you, and when I try to pull away, our bond reminds me that I'm wanted—needed. The only time I've been needed is as a means to an end. Nobody has ever wanted me just because I'm me."

Hermione reached out and pushed his hair away from his intoxicating eyes. She cupped his cheek, and he moved into her touch. "I'm delighted that you're in my life, Severus. How I managed to survive so long without you baffles me."

He chuckled deeply. "Hermione I-"

"Look at what we have here!"

Severus turned around to shield Hermione with his back, and she came up behind him to peep past his arm.

Hermione's eyes went wide at the sight of Ron.


	15. Chapter 15

_AN:/ Hello! Time for a little bit of Ron bashing (I love Ronald, but I need a bad guy). His appearance is brief, however, he will return *laughs evilly*. A **BIG** thank you to **Smithback, purplehedgehog13, Zedoc, Paladium, RhodaBush, Lunajen323, CrazySlytherin, Fingalia,** and **CyBr3** for reviewing, this one is for you! :D_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 15: Interview.**_

 _Ron._

Hermione stiffened immediately and stepped in front of Snape. Ron watched her through drunken eyes, and she saw that he was struggling to stand up straight. _Why does he have to show up now?_

"You've been keeping yourself busy," Ron's eyes narrowed at Snape, and Hermione was unprepared for the protective flare that came over her. _I can see the judgemental look in his eyes...Severus has done nothing wrong._ "Is this who you left me for?"

"Ronald, I left you because you cheated on me," She clenched her hands into fists.

"Only because you wouldn't have sex with me," He slurred back, and she heard Snape scoff from behind. "Something funny old man?"

Hermione turned to look at Snape with wary eyes. _I hope he doesn't take Ron seriously..._

"Not that it matters, Ronald, but you and I had sex only for me to find you in bed with someone else the next day," She explained. "You're drunk."

"N-No, I'm not," His shoulders sagged and he didn't take his eyes off Snape. "Why is he with you?"

"I'm luring her away to keep her in my dungeon," Snape's sexy voice radiated sarcasm. Hermione cringed.

"You're not helping," She muttered. "Severus and I are...dating."

Ron laughed loudly. "Severus? Dating? As if 'Mione, he can do better than you."

Hermione saw Snape's wand appear in his hand, so she reached behind to grab his wrist. She shook her head and sighed.

"You're entitled to your own opinion, Ron. However, Severus and I were taking a walk—we'd like to continue."

"Has she spread her legs for you yet?"

Snape yanked his hand out of her hold. " _Stupefy!_ " Ron flew back into the wall and fell to the ground with a thud.

"You shouldn't have done that-"

"If you think that I'm going to stand by while this twit talks about you in a derogatory manner, then you're as dimwitted as he," Snape lowered his wand and scowled at Ron's unconscious body.

"He was drunk!" Hermione bit hard on her bottom lip.

"Are you defending him?"

"No!" She exclaimed. "Of course not...he's just—he's Ronald and tends to say things he doesn't mean, especially when he's drunk."

"So you are defending him," Snape towered over her with a disgusted look. "He is nothing but a petulant child who is jealous that he no longer has his toy to play with."

Hermione looked at the ground. _He's right._ "Should we leave him?"

"Yes," He grunted. "Shall I take you home?"

"If you don't mind," Snape wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into his chest. She relaxed into his hold as they disapparated.

...

 _Dear Miss Hermione Jean Granger,_

 _I am writing to offer you an interview for a position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There are two vacancies available, and I believe that both would suit you well—the choice is for you to make. I request your appearance this Wednesday at 12:00 pm._

 _Yours Sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall - Headmistress of Hogwarts._

"Do you not think this is odd?" Hermione asked Harry over breakfast.

She had received the letter on Monday morning. _I wonder if Severus knows about it._ Hermione was yet to contact him about it, but couldn't resist the idea of surprising him.

"Odd?" Harry retorted. "The pay will be much better than what you get now. At least you could tell people what you do for a living."

"That's a fair point," She bit into her toast. "I wonder what positions are available."

"I guess a place in the library or Muggle Studies professor," He explained with a smile. "I wish McGonagall would offer me a job."

"Why don't you ask for your job back as an Auror?" Hermione pushed the letter away and took a sip of her tea.

"I could, but it doesn't appeal to me anymore. I wish to do something that lifts me up rather than knocks me down. Plus, Ron is still working there."

Hermione felt guilty. "You can talk to him you know. Just because I no longer want to doesn't mean you have to stop being friends with him."

"The only time I will consider talking to him again is if he apologises to you," He replied fiddling with his glasses. "Also, he still thinks that I left Ginny to be with you."

"Well he now knows about Severus and I," She said with a sad smile. "He said some cruel things, but he was drunk."

"Don't defend him," Harry muttered. "Anyway, you should speak to Neville when you go."

"Oh! I forget that Neville works there," They'd lost touch with everyone from school and Hermione felt sad that it had turned out that way. _However, Harry needed me at the time._

She was glad that he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol since her intervention, and he didn't seem inclined to drink anymore. _I guess it's because Draco likes him back._

"When are you going to see Draco again?" She asked causing Harry to freeze.

"Erm...I...we haven't really—I don't know," His cheeks flushed, and Hermione wondered what had happened after Draco fled his wedding. _I know they didn't have sex because none of them bear their mark._

"He's welcome to visit anytime. I know we don't tend to get along, but I feel like we're civil acquaintances now," She smiled at him. "It's cute that you blush whenever I ask about him."

"What were you and Snape doing in front of the fire?" Hermione immediately blushed.

"Idiot..." She grumbled, and Harry laughed. "If you really want to know, we were-"

"No!" He waved his hands around frantically. "I never want to know what you two get up to when I'm not around."

"We've only had sex twice."

"Too much information!" He exclaimed. "The idea of Snape doing that is-"

"Sexy," She raised her eyebrow, and he cringed.

"No, definitely not sexy!"

...

Hermione smiled as she took the seat opposite Professor McGonagall. She'd added her personal touch to the office, and it was more homely than it used to be. Hermione placed her bag next to her feet and accepted the tea Minerva offered.

"I'm glad you could make it today, Hermione," She said pulling out some parchment and a quill. "The old Muggle Studies teacher had to leave as unforeseen circumstances arose, and I believe you are the perfect candidate for the position."

"Thank you," Hermione sipped her tea. "However, I must point out that I'm not qualified-"

Minerva held out a scroll, and Hermione put down her cup to take it. "This is the curriculum, please look at it and see if there is anything you're unfamiliar with."

Hermione did as she was told, never having to pause to ponder on what the topics were. _I know everything._ She looked up with curious eyes.

"I'm familiar with the content, but I'm not qualified to teach children," She explained. "I may have spent a lot of my time in school teaching groups of people, but I don't think I could handle the drastic change."

"I have every faith in you," Minerva said. "I'm sure your old professors could tell me how good your leaderships skill are. I can vouch for you as I've overseen you practise before."

Hermione grabbed her tea, and looked around the room. Accepting a job at Hogwarts wouldn't be a bad thing, but she couldn't ignore the anxious feeling it caused. _Will Severus be mad if I start working here? What if he doesn't want to be around me at his place of work?_

 _I shouldn't overthink!_ Hermione could guarantee that he'd laugh at the idea of her working here, but she knew it wouldn't affect their relationship significantly—at least she hoped it wouldn't. _We could spend more time together; I'd like that._

"Are you interviewing other people?" Hermione asked, and Minerva nodded her head.

"I know you will take this job. However, I must say that you'll need to be more careful about your relationship with Severus."

"Careful?"

"You're not to be in his quarters outside school times, and on the weekends."

 _So not at all...Why is she treating me like a child?_

"Minerva, I respect your beliefs, but it hardly seems fair that you want to ban me from being with Severus," She finished off her tea, then got her feet. "Therefore, I must decline your offer."

"I thought you might say that. How about you consider the other position open, Severus is looking for a potions apprentice."

Hermione almost laughed—almost. She felt like she was dealing with Dumbledore; Minerva seems to have an ulterior motive. _Could it be that she's trying to help us in our relationship?_ Hermione didn't know, but she was warming to the idea. _I'd get to spend a lot of time with Severus._

 _Could I deal with him being my teacher again?_ It would be hard for her to settle back into old ways, and it was inevitable that they'd argue more. _I don't want to argue with him._

"You're thinking too hard my dear," Minerva smiled and gestured for her to sit back down, Hermione did so and shifted anxiously. "You haven't gained a qualification in potions as of yet, and this will provide you with the right knowledge to move forward in your career. I can assure you that a lot of people will want to hire you afterwards."

"I'm not sure Severus will like the idea of us being back in a teacher and student role," She admitted with a heavy heart. "We get along better when that isn't hanging over our heads."

"I think he'd prefer you over the other candidates who have applied. He referred to them all as 'useless dunderheads'—he speaks highly of you when he's not trying to embarrass me," Minerva chuckled and summoned another scroll in the palm of her hand. "This is an agreement. Once you sign this, you're officially a member of Hogwarts."

"Do you think I should talk to him first? I'd need to write my resignation for my job," Hermione took the scroll and unrolled it.

"I've already handed in your resignation."

"Excuse me?" Hermione's voice was almost shrill. "What do you mean?"

"I know that you worked in the Department of Mysteries. They didn't tell me what chamber you were in; one can only guess—I've sorted everything, and you can start tomorrow."

"W-What?" Hermione stammered.

It was a lot to process. She didn't know whether she was happy or angry. _Do I want to become Severus' apprentice?_ Hermione liked the idea of spending more time with him—it was the winning factor in Minerva's proposition.

"OK," Hermione nodded. "I accept."

"Brilliant!" Minerva clapped her hands together and offered her the quill. "Sign on the dotted line, and everything is sealed."

Hermione scribbled down her signature, then the ink glowed gold, and the scroll disappeared. She looked over at Minerva with a smile, just as the doors opened.

"Headmistress, it appears that-" Snape paused as his eyes landed on Hermione. Her stomach flooded with butterflies, and she looked away from his burning gaze.

He'd walked in with two other students and Remus Lupin.

"What is it?" Minerva got up from her chair.

"These two seem to be the main instigators of the prank war going on," Remus said. "Severus and I caught the smuggling in numerous prohibited items; ones that could've caused somebody serious harm."

Hermione could still feel Snape's eyes on her, so she slowly looked back at him. There was a wondrous expression on his face, and she could see he was trying to figure out why she was here.

"You're Hermione Granger," The blond seventh year grinned in a flirty manner, and Snape hit the back of his head.

"You're not here to schmooze boy," His voice was thunderous.

"Severus could you entertain Miss Granger until I've finished dealing with these two. I suggest you take her down to the dungeons and show her around your laboratory since she's your new apprentice."

"My—" He frowned. "Of course. Miss Granger, after you," He held out his arm towards the door, and she quickly made her way out of the room.

Hermione could sense Snape stalking behind her, but he waited until they were out in the empty corridor to grab her. He spun her around to face him.

"My potions apprentice?" He drawled.

"Minerva offered me the position," She said and looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "You're not mad, are you? She sent me a letter on Monday inviting me to an interview."

"You should've told me," He grunted. "Did you think I'd refuse you?"

"I didn't know she was interviewing me for the potions apprentice position. Initially, she offered me the Muggle Studies vacancy, but said we couldn't—she was going to ban us from ever being alone together," Snape narrowed his eyes, then let go of her arm. "I like the idea of working here, and it only gets better because I'm allowed to work alongside you."

Hermione wished to kiss him but knew he wouldn't appreciate the display of affection in the halls. She understood that he had a persona to keep up at Hogwarts, the children were to fear him, and they would thrive off the idea that he was snogging a woman in the corridor.

"The thought of working with you isn't as unappealing as I thought it would be," He muttered, and his eyes fell to her lips. "However there will be times when I'll have to take on an authoritative position."

"I understand that Severus," She placed her hand on his chest, then slowly slid it up to rest on the side of his neck—he didn't flinch away. "If you want, we can act out some of the scenarios from our dreams—"

He growled, then kissed her. She was enveloped in his warm embrace and she buried her fingers into his dark hair. Her smile was glowing between kisses; she was beyond ecstatic that he was letting his guard down around her.

She pulled her mouth away from his and gazed up at him. "I believe it's time you showed me around your private lab, sir."


	16. Chapter 16

_AN:/ Hello! This chapter was difficult to get out, nonetheless, it's here for you to read! Private lab scene ***cough*** sex scene ***cough*** will be in the next chapter, so prepare to delve into that one when I post it in the next couple of days. I appreciate everyone who has favourited and followed this story! A MASSIVE thanks to the following reviewers **Nastytashy, Paladium, riaroo400, purplehedgehog13, CrazySlytherin, RhodaBush, Arendora, ACupples, Zedoc, smithback, CyBr3, Moonlit Glitter,** **FrancineHibiscus** and **Guest,** this one's for you! :D_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 16: Love._**

Hermione followed closely behind Snape as they walked down the narrow corridor in the dungeon. He was leading her to his private laboratory, and she tried to stop the skip in her step—excitement was an understatement.

Her happiness was brightening the dark dungeon. However, she was making Snape feel tense; _he's walking like someone stuck a stick up his arse,_ Hermione smirked at the thought.

They came to a door which he removed the wards on; he gestured for her to step inside. The sight of books—so many books—and the moist air from a recently brewed potion made her smile widen.

"You look ridiculous," His silky voice made her turn to beam up at him.

"There's nothing wrong with being happy, sir."

"Stop calling me that," He growled, his robes billowing behind him as he moved to the table in the centre of the room. "I'll allow the wards to let you through, but you will need your wand to open the door."

"OK," She looked over at one of the bookshelves. "Anything I should stay away from?"

Hermione knew that he would have many dark magic books in his possession; she also knew that they could cause her serious harm if she touched them. _I'd rather not die on the cold floor._

"They are all safe for you to read. Unlike you, I don't keep my private readings within reach of prying eyes."

"Harry never touches the books at home. I forgot my diary was there," She crossed her arms and eyed him up. "I'm not embarrassed that you saw my journal."

"Then how about you let me read it?" He retorted, and she narrowed her eyes.

"Not a chance," Hermione blew some of her frizz away from her face and joined him at the table. "Are you sure you're OK with me working alongside you?"

He gave her an odd look which made her breath hitch in the back of her throat. Hermione reached out and brushed some of his hair away from his face, then pushed herself up to press a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

She watched his eyes fall to hers; he grumbled something inaudible, then lowered his lips back to her mouth. Their lips moved perfectly together, and Hermione felt the welcoming heat begin to wrap around her stomach. She could get used to it being like this all the time.

Snape cupped her jaw then curled his fingers in the flesh of her hip; Hermione groaned against his probing tongue and gripped onto the front of his teaching robes. _Merlin, I think I love him_.

Hermione went rigid against his front and quickly pulled her mouth away to stare up at him. His face was tight in confusion, and she wondered for a second if he'd heard her, but knew she would've felt him entering her mind.

"What's wrong?" He said huskily.

Hermione's cheeks flushed pink, and she stepped away from him. "N-Nothing. Erm...I should get going now. Thank you for showing me around sir—I mean Snape—Severus! I'm sorry, right, I'm going to leave."

With that, Hermione fled the dungeons leaving a bewildered Snape behind.

…

Jenny stood near the fireplace and stared at the flames. Lucius was sat on a sofa scanning the letter she had brought to his attention. _I had wished never to return here._

She'd been settling into life in Warwickshire when a letter had arrived. _It's from Rufus Kensington. Contained within the parchment was a specific threat aimed at Hermione - I had to bring it to Lucius._

The letter was gruesome; it described the horrific things he wished to do to her. _Why did he send it to me?_

Lucius placed his whiskey glass down on the coffee table and put the letter down next to it. He turned with narrowed eyes and raked them down her body.

Jenny's cheeks flushed pink. _I shouldn't stand so close to the fire_. Looking at him after the dreams they'd shared was difficult. She knew all about the dreams soul bound experience, but it was awkward being in the same room as him after the things he did to her.

"I do not understand what you wish me to do about it?" He said smugly. "The Granger girl means nothing to me."

Jenny clenched her hands into fists and stared at him ferociously. "Forgive me for thinking that the pitiful man who saved me could help protect another from the same man."

Lucius snarled, then got to his feet. "I will not be talked to like that in my own house."

"Well, I just did Mr Malfoy. Hermione doesn't need to know about this. Do something about Kensington, and I'll leave you alone," Jenny flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"My pleasure!" He spat. "You've been nothing but a pain in the arse since I met you."

"I've accepted that we will never give in to the desires of our bond—"

"There is no bond!" He yelled. "The notion is ridiculous."

"The notion is pure fact, Mr Malfoy. You do not have to believe it, but the proof is surrounding you, sir. I'm sickened that my intended soulmate is a narcissist, a death eater—a hater of all muggles."

"I'm elated that you speak highly of me."

Jenny scoffed. "Tell Severus about the letter," She gave him a lingering look, then let out an annoyed yelp and stepped into the fire to return home.

...

Hermione listened to the rain fall outside her open window, while she wrapped her arms and legs around her pillow. She lay on her right side and stared at her bland dressing table. There wasn't a lot going on in her mind—taken with thinking about changing the colour of her bedroom walls than the real reason behind her procrastination.

She'd loved Ron at one point, but that hadn't ended well. She'd loved her parents, again, that hadn't ended well. The only other person she loved was Harry, and their relationship had been the only thing keeping her balanced since the war.

Love wasn't something she shied away from, but the idea of labelling the way she felt about Snape made the feelings build up more—the moment the realisation struck her, those feelings grew so much that it had become too hard to breathe.

If the way Snape made her feel was unconditional love, then it was scary. Very scary. He could set her alight with a single touch and twist up her insides with a simple look. Yet, Hermione couldn't accept that he would feel the same way. They're soul bound and fated to be with only one another, but she hadn't thought far ahead.

Living in the now was always her thing. However, she needed to think of her future. Their future. _What if Severus doesn't want children? I would like to have kids._ To Hermione, Snape doesn't seem like the type. _He hates being around the children at school—would he treat his child that way?_

Hermione shook her head and gripped her pillow tighter.

 _Does he want to get married?_ She knew that their Soul Mark was a symbol of their eternal bond, but she has always dreamt of a small white wedding—nothing excessive—she wished to be dressed in a white, knee-length dress and walk down an aisle with flowers in her hair.

 _I should've thought about the future before things progressed between us._

There was a sharp pain in her heart, and a sob escaped her lips. Her bedroom door was open a little, and she stared at the flicker of light that filtered into the dark room. _I start my apprenticeship tomorrow._ Hermione wiped her wet cheeks on her pillow, then nuzzled her face into the soft feathers.

 _Maybe I'm just too scared to talk to him about it._

Hermione started to feel drowsy, and her eyes drifted shut. She wasn't disturbed by Harry when he poked his head around the door to see if she was OK. He retreated immediately at the sight of her tear stained cheeks and disappeared to ease her worries.

She shifted in her light sleep and clung to the pillow. The room was starting to become cold as the rainy night coated her bedroom. She shivered beneath her clothes as she was on top of her quilt—unaware that the door was fully open and filled with a dark shadow.

Her wet eyes slowly opened, and she swallowed the thick lump in her throat as Snape approached the bed. Hermione didn't move from her position. Instead, she buried her face further into the pillow away from his angry glare.

The bed shifted underneath her as he sat down on the edge, he placed his palm on the mattress and leaned over her so he could look at her through the darkness.

"Hermione," He rasped. "What's wrong?"

"I'll be fine when tomorrow comes," She whimpered into the soft fabric. "I promise."

"I don't care about that. What has distressed you so much?" She felt his fingers brush against the side of her face, and he moved some of her frizzy hair away from her wet cheek. Hermione brought her head from the pillow and looked up at his distraught face.

His features were tight and emotionless, but there were numerous emotions in his eyes. Sadness. Confusion. Worry. Nervousness.

Hermione took hold of his cold hand and brought it down to her lips so she could place a kiss on his calloused palm. She breathed out a sigh and sat up slowly, keeping his hand in hers.

"Did I do something—"

She shook her head viciously, then sniffled. "I'm not sure whether my reaction is due to our bond," Hermione whispered into the night, and she tilted her head back to look into his beautiful eyes. "Will you promise to forget what I'm about to say to you after you leave?"

"Don't be ridiculous," His voice was deep. "Hermione quit being childish and tell me—"

"I…" She felt her heart swell in her chest. " _I love you."_

Silence.

Immediately, she realised how tightly she was gripping his hand, so she let go abruptly, then moved away from him. "You can go now," She whispered as she crawled to the top of her bed. "I'll see you tomorrow, sir," Hermione slipped underneath her quilt and pulled it over her head.

…

Harry flicked through the pages of the Prophet not paying much attention to its contents. There wasn't any noise coming from upstairs, so he knew immediately that Hermione and Snape hadn't gotten into a fight. _I wonder what upset her?_

The flames glowed green, and Draco stepped into the room. _I forgot to close the floo after I let Snape in._

Draco scanned the room then settled his eyes on Harry's face.

"Is Severus here?"

"Yes. Snape's upstairs talking to Hermione," Harry placed the newspaper on the coffee table.

"My father needs to speak to him about something, urgently," Draco's eyes never met his own—Harry's nerves worsened.

"Hermione is very upset about something. She needs Snape for the time being so your father will have to wait," Harry explained, and Draco growled.

"My father doesn't like waiting."

"Well, he should start getting used to it. Hermione takes priority over Lucius since she's his soulmate."

"Hm," He grunted.

 _This is awkward._ They hadn't had a chance to talk properly, and even when they were left alone together, it only ended in an uneasy silence. Harry was fighting back the voice in his head which told him to race over to Draco and kiss him senseless. _I'm still not sure where we stand with one another._

Draco slowly walked over and sat down next to him. "I left my bride at the altar for you, Potter."

"I know," Harry turned to look at him. "I'm grateful."

"Grateful?" He scoffed. "Is that all?"

Harry's eyes landed on his lips; he cautiously looked back into his piercing eyes. "We haven't talked about what this means."

Draco stared at him for a long time, not making a move to humour him with a response.

"After what happened the night of your wedding...things have been awkward between us," Harry sighed. "Draco you know how I feel about you—I confessed to you way before we knew of the soul bond we share. I know you aren't the type who can just talk about his feelings so casually. However, I at least need to know how you see me."

"Potter," He snarled, his blond strands falling in front of his face. "If we didn't share a bond I would never have these feelings for you."

Harry felt an invisible punch to his stomach, but he sealed his reaction with gritted teeth.

"But we do share a bond which unfortunately comes with these feelings."

Harry got to his feet and paced over to the fire. "Unfortunate feelings," He scoffed. "Thank you for making me feel so much happier about myself!" Harry yelled out his bitter words, then narrowed his eyes at the blond git. "I get it. I really do understand that this may be hard for you, but try to take into consideration that there isn't just you joined in OUR bond. Draco I convinced myself years ago that I was in love with you, and I didn't need knowledge of our mated souls to know that!"

Draco got to his feet. "You can't be—"

"You destroyed my life! The evening you rejected me really screwed with my head because you didn't handle it like a normal person. You handled it the only way a Malfoy could; you broke my heart! Not only that, but you always fucked up Hermione's! Did you know that? I don't even think she realises that, but I do. She was the only person who was there for me even though she wasn't the person I wanted around all the time. I wanted you, and I couldn't have you."

"I drank my way into a bottomless pit while you flounced through your perfect little life. Hermione stopped eating and sleeping properly; I was selfish enough to let her wait on my every beck and call. She looked me in the eyes and smiled the night I told her I loved you—she hated you then Draco —yet, she's selfless enough to not hate you for possibly having an ounce of happiness and love in your life."

"I love you Malfoy. Nothing will change that, but hearing you say that your feelings are unfortunate is heartbreaking. I do not wish to be a burden to you."

…

Hermione felt like hours had passed, but it had only been a few seconds. Fingers curled around her white quilt and Snape furiously yanked it off her body.

"What are you doing—" Hermione paused instantly at the look on his face. _Gosh, I am childish. But, the thought of him not accepting me makes my heart hurt._

Snape leaned over her body, then slammed his palms down by her ears. In her silent woes, she'd never imagined him being this angry when she told him how she felt. His eyes made her skin burn, and the vice on her heart tightened.

"Are you stupid?" He growled, fingers curling around the pillow beneath her. "I've known you as many things Granger, but never as an imbecile."

"Excuse me!" She snapped.

"You heard exactly what I said Hermione," His eyes burned into her own, and her lips parted as she stared back at him.

"It's OK if you don't say it back—" Snape ran his thumb along her plump bottom lip; she inhaled sharply. He lowered his mouth to hers and kept their lips a whisper apart.

"Say it again," He said roughly, and her cheeks reddened.

She moved her mouth to meet his, but he moved back an inch.

"Say it."

 _"I love you."_

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, and he finally pressed his lips to hers. Hermione buried her hands in his silky strands and urged her body against his. Snape gripped the back of her thigh and moved to settle his leg between her own.

The joyous warmth returned to her stomach—

"I'm sorry to interrupt this...show? But I have important things to discuss with you Severus," They pulled away from each other and Snape turned to scowl at Lucius.

"Why are you here?" Snape sat up and summoned the quilt back to the bed to cover Hermione, then he got to his feet.

"We need to talk," Lucius turned on his heel and left the doorway, and Hermione sat up.

"Go," She said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

 _Tomorrow we will be re-enacting a scenario from our dreams._


	17. Chapter 17

_AN:/ Hello! Sorry for the wait, this chapter was really difficult to get out, no matter how many times I tried to rewrite it, it always came out shorter than I expected so I apologise. This is mainly a filler then we'll be moving onto the main plot of the story! Many thank you's to the following reviewers sassanech, RhodaBush, riaroo400, Paladium, Gime'SS, ACupples, purplehedgehog13, CrazySlytherin, animenut1612, smithbck, Karli1252, and Arendora. This lovely chapter is for you brilliant people!_

 _Enjoy!_

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 ** _Chapter 17: Tease._**

Hermione slipped the dark robes on which resembled Snape's—it brought a smile to her face that they were similar. She was yet to see him as he was in the Great Hall for breakfast. The floo had let her straight into his private quarters, and she made her way down the stairs to his lab where a schedule was waiting for her.

There was a little note scribbled down next to the block which read _"dinner - optional."_ Hermione smirked, _I will definitely be attending dinner._ It bewildered her how he'd managed to come up with a two-week schedule for her in just over a day. He's a remarkable man - _who I love._

Hermione felt giddy and resisted the urge to do a little dance. She wasn't bothered that he hadn't said the words back to her, but she was smart enough to work out that he was telling her that through his insult. _Calling me an imbecile is close to I love you._

There was also a list of potions for her to start working on, Madam Pomfrey must need them. Hermione got to work and settled into her new environment.

 _Severus will be in lessons for most of the day, so I won't see him until dinner. I need to get him alone._

Hermione spent a couple of hours brewing potions, and when she eventually finished, Snape was yet to visit her. She decided to pack up the phials and head towards the Hospital Wing to give Madam Pomfrey the medicines.

She walked down the corridor and into the darkest part of the dungeon. The bell sounded throughout the castle halls, and the herd of moving students almost whisked her away. She kept the potions close to her chest and was marginally surprised when she collided with a familiar back.

"I'm sorry sir," She smiled up at Snape who scowled at her in response. Remus Lupin stood before them smirking.

"It's lovely to see you back at Hogwarts, Hermione," She went to shake his hand, but he pulled her in for a hug. She squealed in surprise and didn't miss the predatory growl behind her. "Ease up Severus; we're allowed to be unprofessional at times. He's miserable for some reason—I think maybe things have gone sour with his lover."

"Lover?" She questioned with a knowing glint in her eyes. Hermione glanced at Severus. _I've just had a brilliant idea...I'm sorry Severus, but you're about to be teased_. "I wonder who she could be?"

"He won't tell me about her. One day he was practically skipping down the corridor-"

"Might I remind you that I've never skipped in my life, nor will I ever," He spoke with venom, but his flushed face portrayed his embarrassment.

"I've been spending time with Severus recently, and I haven't seen a woman around," She explained to Remus who raised a brow.

"Hm," He mused. "Where do you meet her Severus? I hope you take her out to nice places and not somewhere dodgy like Knockturn Alley."

"He's right sir. You shouldn't romance a woman in taboo places," Hermione radiated joy, whereas Snape projected anger. _If I keep this up for the rest of the day, maybe he'll ravish me in the lab. I'll keep my fingers crossed._

"How are things with Ronald?" Remus asked, and Hermione faltered for a second.

"We didn't last long. I'm actually in a relationship with someone right now," She explained, and Remus' face lit up.

"Who? Does he treat you well?"

"Well..." She savoured a glance at Snape's thunderous face and decided to stop teasing him. "He treats me remarkably well. You should meet him; you'll get on splendidly."

"I'd love to meet him," Remus grinned. "I have to go now. I'll see you at dinner Hermione. Bye Severus," He nodded goodbye and walked away from them.

Hermione smiled sweetly at Snape who was burning a hole into her head. "I best deliver these potions to Madam Pomfrey. I'll see you at dinner, sir."

…

Harry stood by the fountain in the Ministry of Magic and sighed. He'd visited the Auror Department and asked for his job back—he hadn't even finished his sentence, and they'd said yes. Things will never change; _they only care that I defeated Voldemort._

A familiar smell filled his nostrils and he turned in time to see Draco walk past him in a hurry. He called out before he could stop himself. "Draco!"

 _Oh crap._

The blond stopped in the busy crowd of people then turned in his direction. Harry awkwardly waved at him and his face flushed in embarrassment. Draco pushed through the people and came to stand in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, and his eyes drifted down Harry's body.

"I got my job back as an Auror," Harry explained with a small smile, then his eyes fell to the floor. "They didn't question me...they made me sign a contract, then I was finished in a few minutes."

"It's because you're Harry Potter, the boy who-"

"I know who I am," He grunted in annoyance. "It gets irritating after awhile."

Harry wished to ask him about last night but knew the Ministry was the last place they should discuss such delicate matters.

"There you are Draco," Lucius pushed through the crowd of people and sent thunderous looks to anyone that moved. "We need to go—Potter," He growled.

Draco straightened his back then turned to his father. "I forgot there's something I need to do-"

"That may be the case, but we've more important things to talk about," Lucius looked down his nose at Harry. "Let's go," He turned around and left.

"Come and find me when you grow up and learn to make your own decisions," Harry said with anger in his eyes. "Bye, Draco."

...

Hermione took a seat next to Snape at the High Table. Remus sat on his other side, and they were engaging in conversation—in other words, Snape was doing his best to get Remus to stop talking.

She started to eat the food on her plate, but carefully crossed her leg over the other, so her bare flesh peeked out from her robes. The movement caught Snape's attention, and he watched her from the corner of his eye. His right hand tightened around the arm of his chair, and a satisfied smirk grew on her face.

"How has your day been Hermione?" Remus asked suddenly.

"It's been rather boring actually," She took a sip of her water. "I was all alone in a dark, damp dungeon."

"Aren't you supposed to be watching over her?" Remus directed his question at Snape, who narrowed his eyes at her.

"She can handle herself."

"Was that a compliment, sir?" She leaned closer to him. "I feel my life is now complete. I can die happy knowing you think so highly of me."

"That's not what I said," He growled, and Remus laughed.

"It sounded like a compliment to me."

"How are Tonks and Teddy?"

"They are very well thank you. Just last week we went…"

Hermione smiled over at Remus as he continued to ramble on about Tonks and Teddy. It was nice to hear about his post-war life, but playing with Snape was more fun. She watched as Snape brought his goblet to his lips, unaware of the glimmer in her eyes.

She leaned forward on her elbow with her chin on her palm; she angled her head so she could look better at Remus. Unbeknownst to the werewolf, Hermione slipped her left hand beneath the table and placed it on Snape's thigh.

His goblet paused at his lips, but that was the only recognition he gave. Remus carried on talking, and Hermione nodded occasionally. She edged her hand slowly up his inner thigh. The lower part of his body covered completely from wandering eyes.

She trailed her hand up and down in a teasing manner, then moved her eyes to his for a brief second; his eyes were alight with desire. Hermione smirked and turned her attention back to Remus, then brushed her fingertips against the forming bulge under his trousers.

Snape's left eye twitched, and she bit down on her bottom lip to contain her giggle. She gave him a gentle squeeze, and he swallowed hard.

"Something wrong, sir?" She asked, interrupting Remus. "You look rather flushed; maybe you should lay off the wine."

"She's right Severus, you do look flushed," Lupin joined in, and Snape growled as Hermione removed her hand from beneath the table.

...

Hermione smirked knowing he was following behind her. She swayed her hips as she entered the lab, then hummed to herself while she cleaned up the mess from earlier.

"You play a cruel game, Miss Granger," She turned to look at him through sated eyes.

"I do not know what game you talk about, sir," She returned her attention to the worktop, then an arm wrapped around her waist and his firm body pressed against her back. "This hardly seems appropriate, sir."

"I dare you to call me sir one more time Granger," He warned huskily by her ear.

"I should head home...sir-" Snape brought his hand up to cup her breast through her blouse and gave it a hard squeeze. Hermione moaned instantly and nuzzled her behind against his erection.

"You can't go home yet," He whispered near her ear. "You've got things to attend to," Snape nipped at her earlobe; the strange sensation made her eyes burst with desire.

He trailed his free hand down her stomach pausing for a second at the band of her skirt. Snape caressed her breast once more, then dropped his fingers to her awaiting heat. Hermione gasped when he brushed against her aching clit causing her head to roll back.

Her exposed neck gave him the perfect opportunity to latch his lips onto her creamy skin while he rubbed her vigorously. Through her hazy mind, she managed to get herself to move her hand between them so she could cup the bulge in his trousers. Snape responded with a grumble against her throat, then nibbled on the tight skin there.

Hermione felt herself get closer to her climax, and the pressure inside her was almost unbearable. Snape sensed her upcoming glee and quickly stopped his movements. It took a few seconds for her to realise he'd halted.

"Sir?" She gasped.

Snape growled in response; before she could think of a witty comeback, he'd cast a wandless spell leaving them both naked. She turned to approach him, but he pinned her wrists to her back and forced the front of her body down on the worktop.

 _Well, this is working out better than I thought._

"Again, this hardly seems appropriate, sir-" Hermione cried out as he thrust into her, burying himself to the hilt. He paused to give her a moment to adjust. However, he saw she was about to open her mouth to say something else, so shut her up with a swift motion.

The hold on her wrist was firm—he wasn't going to leave a mark—Hermione didn't mind, the whole situation was rather exciting.

Snape began to slide in and out of her, making sure to draw out a moan or whimper each time he buried himself deep. Snape hit a certain spot inside of her that made her twitch on the table and groan deeply.

Each cry of pleasure urged him on, and his movements became more frantic. Heat exploded throughout Hermione's body as he continued to hit the euphoric spot within her, and she called out his name as her orgasm rocked her body. Snape finished with a few more dominant thrusts and left her feeling like a boneless mess on the table.

"You know, I might just call you sir all the time if you react like that Severus," He let go of her wrists with a hearty laugh, then pulled her naked body against his. He wrapped his arms around her weak form and placed a gentle kiss on her neck.

 _Gosh, I really do love him._


	18. Chapter 18

_AN:/ Hi again! Sorry for the delay, life really does like to take me by surprise - things are a bit wobbily at the moment, but nonetheless, things are slowly getting better. I have half of the next chapter written so I should be done in a few days - if it makes more of you review, the next chapter is very promising for Draco and Harry ;) A MASSIVE thank you to the following reviewers Nastytashy, spiffy2143, purplehedgehog13, smithback, CrazySlytherin, Gime'SS, CyBr3, Paladium, and_ _riaroo400_. _I hope you enjoy this one :D_

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**_Chapter 18: Sense._**

Hermione and Severus sat in front of the fire while they leant against one another on the sofa. Hermione rested her legs on his thighs and lost herself in the feel of his warm hands stroking her bare leg. She was wearing one of his plain white shirts which bundled up to her waist, and his hand occasionally brushed close to her underwear, but there was nothing sexual about it—maybe sensual.

He kissed the top of her head, and she smiled blissfully. "I finished reading the book," She said and angled her head up to look at him.

"Did you discover anything else of importance?" He started to play with her hair, and she felt a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Nothing major," She sighed and reached up to trace her fingers along his jawline. "I should return it to Annette; she's going to start looking for other people who are apart of this new wave."

"Do you wish to help her?" He asked.

"The idea is rather appealing," She moved her fingers to his hooked nose and smirked. "However, I prefer being your apprentice."

"And why's that?" He moved her fingers away from his nose and held her slim hand.

"I doubt every apprentice can say that their professor shagged them on their workstation," Severus laughed loudly, and she couldn't contain her own. It was a beautiful thing when he laughed, and she could die happy knowing that she had the ability to make him do so.

"Are you going to head to the whorehouse in a bit?" He asked, and she nodded her head and began to trace lines against his chest.

"I'll be quick...I like this," Hermione whispered. "Very much."

"Me too," Severus squeezed the flesh of her thigh, and she moved to straddle his hips. Hermione kissed him quickly then stared into his eyes lovingly.

"Maybe we could try to go out on a proper date this weekend," She nuzzled herself into his lap and immediately felt his reaction to her.

"Only if you don't convince yourself that I've rejected you somehow and I have to come and collect you while you're drunk, then sure," His silky drawl made her laugh.

"I will never be touching a drop of alcohol again. I didn't oppose to the way our date night ended though," Hermione lowered her mouth to his and kissed him a few times.

"Are you going to leave because the idea of shagging you on this sofa is starting to appeal to me," He muttered causing her to laugh, and she continued to move against him. He returned his mouth to hers and slipped his hands beneath her shirt.

Hermione slid her tongue into his mouth and buried her fingers into his hair. Her whole body started to heat up once more, begging her for a release. She moved her hand down his chest and undid his trousers; his cock sprang out alert, and she brushed her thumb against his swollen tip.

Severus pulled his mouth away and looked up at her through bleary eyes. "Shouldn't you be going to see-"

"She can wait," Hermione whispered against his reddening lips, and she wished to see his reaction as she wrapped her hand around his throbbing cock—he didn't disappoint.

The way he looked at her was almost enough to bring her orgasm crashing down on her, and it frightened her a little that he could mess up her insides with a single look.

Hermione pumped his hard member and kept her mouth close to his, but never kissed him. She watched him close his eyes and angle his head back in anticipation; she smiled wickedly, then moved her knickers to the side and slid down on his cock.

Severus groaned as he entered her warmth and Hermione leaned forward to rest her forehead against his. She wriggled about to let herself adjust, then started to move on his lap. Severus cupped the side of her face and brought their lips together in a heated kiss filled with breathless pants.

He cupped her arse as she pumped his cock and curled his fingers into her flesh; his grip tightened as he urged her to move faster.

They moved their bodies together until the sounds of their pleasure filled the dungeon room. Hermione's head rolled back when her orgasm hit, and she bit down on her lip to contain her cries. Severus joined her bliss with a few more thrusts, and she fell against his chest and buried her face into his neck.

...

Hermione stepped into the whorehouse with a pink tinge to her cheeks. Her head was a mess, and her clothes didn't match—that's what she gets for leaving it until the last minute to leave.

Annette's face lit up at the sight of her and Hermione raced over to the bar with a smile on her face. "Evening, love," Annette kissed her cheek, and Hermione pulled out the book.

"I've finished reading it," She explained breathlessly. "I'd like to help you look for the others."

"Good," Annette quickly took the order from a man at the bar and waved her wand towards the barrel of ale. "Have you heard from Jenny?"

Hermione hated that she had to lie to Annette, but she knew for certain that Jenny would soon return to mend bridges with her. "No," She whispered. "I'm sure she'll return soon."

"Oh..." Annette sighed, then straightened her posture. "How's everything going at Hogwarts?"

"Very well," Hermione's smile grew wider, and she leant forward. "I never thanked you for bringing us together. I've never been so grateful that you spiked our drinks with a love potion."

Annette laughed as she wiped the bar with her cloth. "There were better ways for me to approach the situation. Nevertheless, I am glad you're happy, love."

"Thank you," Hermione pulled the older woman towards her and gave her an awkward hug. "I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart."

"Oh don't be silly," She blushed. "Would you put the book upstairs in my study?"

"Anything for you," Hermione chirped and took off upstairs.

Ruckus filled the halls as usual, and some man was going for gold up against one of the walls. She would've muttered a comment at them, but she was on cloud nine at the moment.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this happy—Ron had never made her this jubilant—Snape just had this essence about him that made her stomach do a flip, and it made her feel giddy inside.

Hermione pushed open the door which led to Annette's study but halted at the sight of Lucius Malfoy rummaging through an open cupboard filled with scrolls.

"What are you doing?" Lucius whirled around with anger in his eyes, and his face soured at the sight of her.

"It's just you," He sneered, and her hand twitched to throw the book at his head. Arsehole. "Where does the wench keep her book?"

"Do you mean this?" She waved the book in her hand then smirked. "I take it you and Jenny have started to share dreams-"

"That is none of your business!" He snapped defensively, and she raised a brow.

"I beg to differ. Jenny's my friend, and you upset her because of your ancient moral code—here read this," Hermione placed the book down on the desk next to him. "It will hopefully open your eyes."

"I don't need my eyes opened," He growled, and Hermione scoffed. _How could such a nobleman be so childish? Oh, that's right, he's a Malfoy._

"Have you spoken to Jenny recently?" She asked cautiously. "I've kept in contact with her."

"Good for you," His tone was brittle as he picked up the book and took a seat to open up the front cover. "I do not care where she is."

"OK," Hermione shrugged her shoulders then eyed up the blond. "She's doing much better without you anyway, and she even told me that she has a date," She lied. Severus can tell when I'm lying, Malfoy however, cannot. This should be fun.

Lucius stiffened as she perched herself on the desk with a happy glint in her eyes. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to toy with Lucius Malfoy, so she was going to grasp the moment by the balls.

"Date?" He said harshly.

"Yes, with a very handsome fellow from Warwickshire. I heard he owns an enterprise; he's even taking her to Paris for dinner," Hermione gushed and placed a hand over her heart. "Isn't it romantic?"

"Has anyone ever told you how insufferable you are?"

"All the time," She said. "Now, you know what robes are good, what fabric should she wear? I suggested some silk robes; it needs to be form-fitting, meaning it will be aesthetically pleasing. You're a man, tell me what would you like to see her in?"

Lucius' eyes were thunderous as he stared her down. "Are you mocking me?" His voice wavered, and she scooted off the desk immediately.

"I would never do such a thing," She babbled nervously. "I speak nothing but the truth. Jenny once considered herself to have feelings for you, but it appears she has moved on."

"Feelings?" He hissed.

Hermione blew some of her hair away from her face. "She liked you a lot, however, after seeing your true colours her tune soon changed."

"She liked me?" His eyes narrowed into thin slits.

"Wasn't it obvious?" She laughed anxiously but found herself bemused by the situation. How had he not realised the way Jenny looked at him, a thought suddenly hit her. "Oh, you think she only showed an interest in you once she found out about Soulmates."

"I didn't say that-"

Hermione interjected, "She liked you before that. I remember her telling me that she'd had her eye on you for awhile, but she was too afraid to approach you."

"Are you lying to me?"

"What reason do I have to lie, Malfoy? To be perfectly honest, I don't like you. Not a single bit. Jenny can do a million times better than an ignorant snob like yourself, but destiny has other plans. You have the ability to make her the happiest woman on this earth, yet, you refuse her because of her blood status. It doesn't sit well with me, and I have no doubt in my mind that you'll always hurt her somehow—a derogatory comment here and there—however, I cannot argue with fate. You'll never be happy until you're by her side."

Lucius scowled at her furiously. It almost matched one of Severus' famous scowls, but it didn't have any effect on her. He glanced down at the book in his hands, then back at her.

"You speak passionately for a muggle," He said with no sneer to his tone. "I'll only allow this to happen once Miss Granger, but if you talk to me like that again, I will kill you."

"Very well," She nodded her head then walked out of Annette's study.

It confused her greatly how Felix had the ability to glide out of hidden crevices, but he did so, effortlessly, and blocked her path. "Good evening, princess. Is the Big Bad Wolf about tonight?"

"Severus is not here," She muttered, and he smiled in delight.

"I get you all to myself. I've missed your tight arse walking around this place," Felix threw his arm over her shoulder as she walked down the hall. "How is your boyfriend doing?"

"Do you really care?" She retorted, and he smirked.

"The only thing I care about is when you plan to leave him so we can start making our beautiful children-"

"What a surprise."

Hermione's heart sank to the floor with a thud, and she turned around to see Ron lurking in one of the doorways. His clothes were dishevelled and his hair a mess—he looked royally shagged.

"Does the dungeon bat know you work here?" Ron growled eyeing up Felix's arm around her shoulder. "I've heard he frequently visits places like this—only way he can get laid," Ron hiccuped from his massive intake of alcohol, and she smiled sadly.

"I'm here to visit a friend," She said.

"Has she got any better at sex?" He directed his question at Felix who narrowed his eyes at the ginger boy. "She didn't do much when we fucked; just lay there looking bored."

"Maybe you should try getting better at sex," Felix retorted. "Ain't no woman ever been beneath me bored."

Hermione laughed behind her hand, thankful that Felix was around to think of a lewd response.

"Maybe she should try looking prettier," Ron's response made her stiffen, and Felix dropped his arm from her shoulder.

"You little shit," He stormed forward and grabbed Ron by the collar.

"Do you regularly fuck snakes so they can protect you?" He snarled.

Hermione's hand wished to reach for her wand hidden in her right boot, but she knew that she would be no better than him if she responded. Thankfully, Felix was happy to sneer down at Ron while he squirmed in his hold.

"Is the greasy sod going to come out now?"

 _Screw the moral high ground,_ she thought. Hermione guessed it was the soul bond causing her to react; he was insulting her soulmate, so he needed to be taught a lesson.

"You little shit!" Hermione fired jinx after jinx at Ron's pasty frame, he fell to the ground and cried out in pain, but Hermione kept lashing out. "Never." _**Hit.**_ "Ever." _**Hit.**_ "Talk." _**Hit.**_ "About." _**Hit**_. "Him." _**Hit.**_ "Again!"

Hermione raised her wand one more time, but a cold hand laced around her wrist. She whirled around to look up at Lucius Malfoy, he quirked his brow at her then released her arm.

"You sure do like to cause a scene, Miss Granger. Now, what do we have here?" He looked down at Ron's shaking body—numerous pus-filled spots covered his face, and his body trembled from the stinging jinxes she'd sent his way.

"Urgh!?" Ron belched at the sight of Lucius.

"Oh, Weasley, do you ever learn?" He tilted his blond head to the side. "You should never walk into the snake pit without support."

"Bugger off..." He tried to glare at him, but his eyes started to swell shut.

"You should return home," Lucius said. "There are many men here who will take advantage of a beaten man on the floor."

Hermione curled her lip as Ron staggered to his feet and disappeared down the corridor. She slipped her wand back into her boot then looked at Lucius.

"Go home," His voice was oddly soft causing her to nod her head quickly and head back to Severus.

…

Hermione stormed out of the fireplace and walked right into Severus. He caught her before she could fall on the floor and helped steady her onto her feet. She unintentionally looked at him furiously, and he immediately let go and stepped back.

"Sorry," He muttered.

"No! You didn't do anything!" She exclaimed and placed her hand on his arm.

"What's wrong?" He asked and looked down at her curiously. She sighed in response and rested her forehead against his chest. Hermione inhaled his intoxicating scent and felt her body relax. It made her happy that he was the only person who could calm her down; it made her feel wanted and adored.

"Ronald was at the whorehouse," She whispered then moved her head so she could look up at him. Severus' body stiffened beneath her, and she took a step back to observe him properly.

"What did he want?" His hissed through gritted teeth and she sighed.

"He threw some insults around...I threw some jinxes...nothing serious," She flashed him a smile, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"He must've said something wrong if you jinxed him," Severus replied. "What did he say?"

"He…" Hermione stared down at her feet. "He insulted you, and I got angry, so I lashed out."

Hermione hadn't expected to hear him laugh. Her eyes flew to his and joy flooded her veins as she saw the proud look on his face. "I hope you left him sobbing on the floor."

"Of course," She chuckled, then wrapped her arms around his waist. Severus laced his arm along her shoulders and his other around her waist and held her tight. She heard him inhale sharply as he buried his hooked nose into her hair. Hermione smiled, content with the way her life was right now.

It was still hard to believe that she was now in a relationship with her Professor. She was forever fated to be by his side. She couldn't believe it, yet somehow, it all made sense.


	19. Chapter 19

_AN:/ Hello! Here is the next lovely chapter for you! Thank you to the following people for reviewing, **Blue night fairy, Nastytashy, RhodaBush, Paladium, Gime'SS, CrazySlytherin,** **purplehedgehog13,** and **FrancineHibiscus**! I hope you enjoy this one! :D_

 _WARNING: This chapter contains sexual scenes between two male characters so if it isn't your type of thing avoid the ending of this chapter - I feel like I have to put a warning because there will be one person that ignored the warning from the very first chapter, and doesn't wish to read it! I did an embarrassing dad dance when I finished this - though I wouldn't want my dad to see this as he'd be ashamed and I would be digging myself a hole to bury myself in. ON WITH THE SHOW!_

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 ** _Chapter 19: Stalker._**

Hermione smiled as she walked out of Tomes and Scrolls at Hogsmeade. She started to wonder whether she needed to wear a sign on her that said _'I just woke up this morning and had amazing sex,'_ so people knew why she couldn't wipe the satisfied smile off her face.

She flashed smiles at the people she passed, talked eagerly to those in the shops, and did her best to spread her joy to everyone around her. Hermione knew, without a doubt, that Severus would throw up at the sight of her giddiness.

It was pleasant to be able to wake up to him in the morning—she felt bad for not going back home—and all he had to do was look at her with his dark eyes, and she was ready to make love to him again. _Make love? Would he cringe if I called it that?_ She shrugged at the thought.

She planned on going back to Grimmauld Place tonight because she wanted to see Harry, but she knew that it wasn't definite. Severus could easily distract her.

Hermione was running some errands for him and gathering some things she needed from the shops. It was nice to be back here, and she was grateful that she wasn't drunk and crawling around like an idiot. The memory made her wince, and once again she vowed never to touch a drop of alcohol again.

She moved some items around in her bag and ticked the things off the list he'd given her. It was then that she looked over her shoulder casually and her eyes stopped on a man close behind her. She turned away immediately.

That man was in Tomes and Scrolls. She shook her head, and cautiously carried on her walk to the next place, every so often she would head in a different direction just to double check that he wasn't following her, and sure enough, he trailed behind her through the crowd. _Maybe I'm overthinking._

Thoughts of Rufus Kensington filled her mind, and she wondered if he would be stupid enough to send someone after her in broad daylight. _What if that is him?_ She had no idea what he looked like, only Lucius, Jenny and Severus did. Would he take her and demand money as he did to Jenny?

Hermione paused and tried to control her rushing mind. He was too close behind her so she couldn't find somewhere to apparate back to Hogwarts because he could easily catch her off guard while he did it; also he may know that she'll head there and Hermione didn't want to drag trouble to the gates.

She searched her mind for an idea, and she carried on walking around Hogsmeade. She'd read in the Soulmates book that mates shared a connection through their mark; she knew that was true because she'd kissed it before and saw the way Severus reacted to it.

Hermione closed her eyes for a few seconds then forced herself to panic. She was basing it off intuition, but she hoped that her frantic emotions would make Severus feel a discomfort from his mark and think something was wrong. She ran with the idea for a few minutes then slowly calmed herself down.

It was then she noticed she was back outside Tomes and Scrolls. _Crap, he's going to know that I know._ The sound of someone disapparating came from nearby and out of the alleyway stepped Severus, he looked around with worry in his eyes and when he saw her in the crowd his body relaxed.

She coolly walked over and threw her arms around him. She felt him stiffen beneath her in confusion, and she moved her mouth to his ear. "Someone's following me," She whispered, and he responded by wrapping his arms around her.

"Who?" He buried his hand in her hair.

"Brown hair, rather small, and he's wearing dark blue robes. He's looking into the window of a dress shop," Hermione gave Severus a few seconds to find him, then she pulled away to look up at him. "Is it Rufus?"

"No," Severus linked their fingers together and led her away from the shop. They apparated back to Hogwarts and strolled inside the castle. He let go of her hand when the children started to appear, and they made their way down to the dungeons and into his chambers.

Hermione took a seat on the sofa, and Severus began to pace around the room. He stopped by the fire to give her an odd look, then shook his head and continued burning a hole into the floor.

"Lucius said that Rufus showed an interest in me. Would he send someone for me in public?" She asked, and he stilled.

"You need to have someone with you at all times," He said turning his attention to her. "I cannot be of use when I'm working; if I need you to run any errands, you will do so after school hours so I can come with you."

"How about I tell Harry; he has got his job back as an Auror, maybe he can watch me if I need to leave," Her words didn't ease the tension in his shoulders like she hoped it would.

Hermione sighed and got to her feet. In two long strides, she reached him and wrapped her arms around his waist. It took a few seconds, but she felt him relax from her touch which caused her to smile.

"I'm sorry if I made you worry."

"Don't apologise for something so foolish Hermione. We're dealing with a potential threat to you, and I don't care if you think it's minor; I'll still be around to help you."

"Thank you," She tilted her head up and kissed his cheek. "I hope I didn't disturb you."

"I was not teaching for this hour. However I was in a meeting when my mark started to tingle," He explained.

"I'm sorry about that," She muttered. "I figured that since the mark is sensitive when one of us touches it, then maybe I could get you to sense that something was wrong. I'm glad it didn't burn because I didn't want it to remind you of all the times the Dark Lord summoned you-"

"Take a breath woman," There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And stop apologising for every little thing."

"Sorry-" His eyes narrowed. "OK, I'll try my best," Hermione smirked and kissed the corner of his lips. "Do you have to return to your meeting or can you spare me some time?" She tilted her head to the side and started to walk towards the bedroom. "I believe I have a free slot in my hectic schedule."

And with that, Severus briskly ushered her into the room and pinned her to the bed until her throaty moans bounced off the walls.

...

Harry had rushed home from his busy day at work to make dinner for Hermione. They hadn't seen much of each other over the past few days, but he knew that she was happy spending her time with Snape. He wasn't going to rob her of any of her deserved happiness. However, it was a bit depressing sitting in the living room while their dinner went cold in the kitchen.

 _At least she's happy, that's the only thing I could ask for. She deserves to be loved, even if it is by Snape._ Harry glanced at the many books surrounding him, then sighed. _I deserve to be loved just as much as Hermione does._ He hadn't heard anything from Draco, not since their spat at the Ministry.

He was in the right though; Draco needed to stop letting his father control his life and think about what he wants to do for a change. Merlin, it hurt to be away from him, but Harry was sick of being the one who made a move. He'd confessed to Draco, not the other way around. Yes, they had shared a moment on his wedding night, but nothing else had come of it. A lot was swirling around inside of his head right now.

It was times like this when he missed Ron. Harry could never forgive him for the way he treated Hermione, but he did lack male companionship. Ron had played a big part in his childhood, and Harry wished to have such a friend during adulthood. It didn't seem like he would be so lucky. However, he was content with having Hermione.

Harry stared at the dull room and for a moment considered redecorating it. He did like the rustic feel to the place, but it didn't have any life to it anymore. _Maybe it will help cheer me up?_

The flames glowed green, and Draco stepped out of the fireplace panting angrily. Harry went still on the sofa and swallowed the lump in his throat. Draco looked positively furious. _What the hell have I done now?_

Harry got to his feet ready to defend himself against any accusation he threw his way, and Draco marched forward a few paces, cupped the sides of his face and kissed him hard. Harry inhaled sharply and gripped onto his waist. This kiss was rough and passionate; it was nothing like the ones they'd shared in their dreams, but Harry didn't mind.

Their tongues glided alongside one another, and Harry's hold tightened on his clad waist. His head started to spin, and he revelled in his familiar smell. The anger Draco had possessed a few moments ago seemed to flee his body, and Harry could feel him relax beneath his fingertips. The back of his legs came in contact with the sofa, and suddenly Harry found himself pinned beneath Draco as he kissed him senseless.

He felt like he should be protesting and demanding some form of explanation from him, but he could hardly think straight while he kissed him this way. Draco moved his lips away from Harry's mouth and placed kisses along his jawline and down his neck.

"Malfoy," Harry rasped, but Draco didn't stop. "Draco!" He pushed him away by his shoulders and stared up at him with swollen lips. "W-What?" It was the only word that would make it out of his mouth.

Draco grumbled deeply in his chest then lowered his forehead to Harry's. "I-I got into an argument with my father...I'm...sorry," Harry saw the pained look on his face so reached up to push some of his blond hair away from his eyes. "I've missed you. I know it has only been a few days, but I have…"

His voice trailed off, and Harry felt a tightness around his heart. The fact that Draco was here was a sure sign that things were changing between them. It was hard to comprehend that his childhood enemy was here telling him that he missed him. It was hard to believe that they're one another's intended mate.

"I missed you too," Harry whispered, then placed a chaste kiss to Draco's lips. It turned heated within seconds, and they helplessly moved their bodies against one another.

Harry felt Draco's erection pressing against him, and it made his stomach twist with heat and an immense pressure wrapped around his heart. Draco's fingers slipped beneath his shirt and dug into his flat abdomen leaving behind flaming prints. Harry groaned into his mouth and wondered for a moment if this is how Hermione felt with Snape—the mental image was thrown from his mind when Harry realised Draco had undone the buttons of his shirt and teasingly placed kisses down his neck.

It wasn't until he felt Draco's warm breath against his nipple that things started to register in his mind. "D-Draco, maybe we should stop..."

He looked up at him through his long lashes. "Why?" His voice was hoarse.

"I..." Merlin, he didn't want to sound pathetic, but Harry couldn't stop his real feelings from escaping his lips. "I'm scared."

"Scared?" He moved back up to Harry's face and brushed his hair away. "Potter—Harry, I care about you a lot. I'm not going to hurt you, just let me make you feel good."

Draco moved his mouth back down to Harry's chest and placed gentle kisses on his stomach as he undid the button on his trousers. Harry's face flooded with colour and he clamped his eyes shut in anticipation when Draco tugged them down his legs along with his boxers.

Harry's hard cock sprang to attention, and he hissed when Draco's finger brushed against his nipple. His reaction was unexpected as it didn't resemble the way he had felt when he and Ginny had fumbled around in the dark one evening. Yes, it had been mildly enjoyable, but there wasn't any build up to the actual deed, and he felt strange afterwards.

Draco moved his lips back to his and Harry pulled away with a gasp when he wrapped his slender hand around his cock. Draco pumped him a few times; then Harry frantically tried to remove his shirt. He wanted to feel his skin against his, and he would be damned forever if Draco left this scenario without some form of pleasure.

Harry managed to remove his shirt, and his fingers shook as he tried to undo the button on his trousers. When the button popped, Harry wrapped his bare leg around Draco's hips and awkwardly flipped him onto his back.

"Harry-"

He shushed him and started to pull his trousers down his body. His dark boxers followed, and Harry stared down at his throbbing cock. _It's...well...he's very blessed_. The thought made Harry's blush darken and reached out his shaking hand and wrapped it around him.

Harry watched Draco's jaw clench, but he observed Harry through exhilarated eyes. Unsure of what to do next Harry decided to stop overthinking every little action and lowered his mouth to Draco's pulsating tip. He brushed the pad of his tongue against the eager slit, then wrapped his mouth around him.

The feel of Harry on him made Draco's eyes flutter closed, and his bottom lip became trapped beneath his teeth. Harry used his hand to pump Draco's cock along with his mouth, and he saw the twitch that rocked his body. The heat started to build inside of him, and he could only think of getting closer to Draco somehow. Right now, this wasn't enough to satisfy his needs.

Draco reached down and buried his fingers into Harry's hair then gave him a gentle tug. Harry removed his mouth from his cock and glanced up at him. It was evident on his face that he was getting close to his peak, and didn't want it to end without Harry getting enjoyment from it.

Harry wasn't sure if he would get much pleasure from what was to come next. He'd heard about it but hadn't taken it upon himself to look further into it. The only representation he had to go off was from their dreams.

As Harry moved up to kiss him again, their cocks brushed against each other, and they both pulled away to release a moan. Harry rested his forehead against his and finally saw the blush that peppered Draco's pale skin.

"Are you...sure?" Draco panted, and Harry nodded slowly.

Even though Harry had his doubts about it; he still wanted to know what it was like—he wished to know what it felt like to be intimate with Draco, to be as close as anyone could get to someone they loved.

Draco sat up with him straddling his waist then gently lowered Harry back down onto the sofa. He felt a sudden wetness flood around his entrance, and he realised that Draco had cast a lubrication charm—it didn't settle his nerves.

Harry looked up at him with puzzled eyes, and Draco began to kiss a trail from the corner of his mouth and down to his neck. It helped to ease all the worries he was having, and once again the tightness around his heart tugged at him hard. Harry knew then that no one else could make him feel this way; he felt like he might pass out from it all.

Draco's cock prodded at his hole, and he quickly removed his mouth from Harry's neck to stare at him passionately. "Tell me if it...if it hurts."

Harry nodded his head, but just when he thought Draco was going to push himself inside, he felt a finger go inside instead. It was enough to make him tense slightly, and he quickly grabbed onto Draco's biceps. Cautiously, he slipped in another finger hoping that it would ease some of the pain he would feel when he pushed his cock inside.

Harry closed his eyes and willed himself to relax, and ever so slowly, his body started to accept the foreign intrusion. His lips parted, and his breath came out hot and even. Draco kissed his warm cheek, and Harry groaned out for more.

He withdrew his fingers and started to push himself against his entrance. Harry opened his eyes to stare up at Draco who watched him intently, and they both hissed when his tightness entrapped his cock. He pulled back a little then with each thrust he let more of himself intrude.

Harry's fingers dug into the skin on his arms, and he bit down hard on his bottom lip. The feel of being full was overwhelming, and there was pain, but it was bearable. Draco moved again and groaned loudly when his full length was inside of him; then when he moved out to push back in again, he brushed against Harry's sweet spot which caused him to inhale sharply.

Draco kept thrusting, and they eventually settled into a perfect rhythm. Harry threw his head back and moaned while Draco's brow became littered with sweat. The sound of their skin colliding echoed off the walls as Draco started to move quicker. He wrapped his hand around Harry's cock and gripped him tightly as he pumped him along with their pace.

Harry's yell hitched in the back of his throat, and he tried his best to form an audible sound, but every cry became suppressed by another. His hands fell from Draco's arm, and he held on tightly to the sofa, begging him to move faster.

They moved together effortlessly, and Harry suddenly felt his whole body tighten, and the wave of pleasure crashed over him, and he emptied himself all over his stomach with a cry. Draco hissed between staggered breaths, and soon enough he followed after and filled Harry with his pleasure.

Draco collapsed on top of him, and they both lay there gasping for oxygen. They stayed on the sofa for the rest of the night and Draco pulled the blanket from the back; they wrapped themselves around each other and fell into a blissful sleep.


End file.
